The Fourth Estate
by Sciber Dude
Summary: AU-After OOTP. A little planning and resourcefulness makes a massive difference in Harry Potter's life. He soon comes to realize who his friends are and not. HarryMany. Rating may change.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 01: The Enchanted Journal**

Harry Potter woke up early in the morning with a splitting headache. This headache was not like his 'scar pain' but was more like the headache one would have when you go many days without adequate sleep. Harry recalled that he had had nightmares the last couple of days and his mood kept swinging between anger, sadness and frustration. The more he thought of his current situation, the more he was furious!

Harry was furious at himself for letting his friends follow him into danger at the Department of Mysteries and getting hurt while battling Death Eaters. He was furious at Severus Snape for making his life miserable at Hogwarts. He was furious at the Drusleys for making his life miserable at No. 4, Privet Drive. He was furious at Albus Dumbledore for hiding the prophecy from him for so long. He was furious at Lord Voldemort for his innumerable attempts to kill him. Most importantly, he was furious at Sirius Black for dying.

The thought of Sirius Black dying brought over him an overwhelming feeling of melancholy and frustration. He had lost yet another connection to his parents and he was responsible for it. Harry could count on his finger tips the number of times he had interacted with Sirius Black. Yet his death seems to have affected his soul. He was the beacon in his life, someone who was willing to share his home with him and love him unconditionally. Sirius was Harry's desperately needed anchor in life to ground him and now he had lost him too. '_Had I listened to Hermione, Sirius would have been alive_', he thought. '_How could I have been such a fool and run straight into the trap?'_

Harry desperately needed someone in his life with whom he could discuss things. His blood relatives, the Drusleys, were terrible and were just waiting to throw him out of their home. His godfather, Sirius Black, was dead and Remus Lupin, the other good friend of his parents hardly ever wanted to play any major role in his life. The Weasley elders were a good substitute, but Molly Weasley was quite a mother hen who never liked her chicks to wander. Harry never built the rapport with Mr. Weasley to have a tete-e-tete. Ron was a good and loyal friend, but as Hermione put it, had an emotional range of a teaspoon. Hermione was a good friend, the intellectual powerhouse of the Golden trio, except that Harry wasn't as comfortable sharing things with her. Once she made up her mind, she would not stop badgering until you cave in. Ginny Weasley seemed to have lost her crush on the boy-who-lived and had recently developed the ability to speak in his presence. What Harry needed was either a parent figure in his life or at least a twin, someone who would understand him and help him find his path in life.

It had been three days since Harry had come to #4 Privet Drive and he always found a plate of food on his table three times a day. '_Bill Weasley, Tonks and Moody must have scared Uncle Vernon real good._' Harry chuckled at the thought. After washing up and downing a couple of Aspirins that he stole from Dudley's bathroom, Harry devoured the cold plate of Shepherd's pie and orange juice that Aunt Petunia had left for him last night.

Harry's vision rested on the black leather bound journal that Ginny have given him on the train journey back. Her only instruction had been 'Use it!' He was surprised to see it on top of the table when he remembered having had carelessly discarded it on the floor of his room. His curiosity aroused, Harry flipped the pages of the journal and found it to be empty. The only instruction in Ginny's handwriting was found on the first page under a galleon sized red circle. '_Say the password and touch the circle'_

_'Password? Hmm...'_ he thought out loud.

"Harry James Potter?" Harry touched the red circle on the page.

_'Sorry! Incorrect password. Please try again'_ said the new instruction on the page again in a very familiar cursive handwriting.

"Ginevra Molly Weasley"

_'Sorry! Incorrect password. Please try again'_

"Ronald Bilius Weasley" "Hermione Granger?"

_'Sorry! Incorrect password. Please try again'_

"Hogwarts" "No. 12, Grimmauld Street" "No. 4, Privet Drive"

_'Incorrect password given seven times in a row. Please try again after three hours.'_

Harry got frustrated and threw the journal back on the table which upset Hedwig who hooted in indignation. "Sorry girl. Didn't mean to wake you up" Harry sighed and went back to his bed to a dreamless sleep.

_Tap... Tap... Tap..._

Harry woke up groggily and realized that the sun was up. He guessed that it must be around mid-afternoon. Realizing that the noise was from two owls, he opened the window and let them in. Hedwig hooted trying to scare the other owls away from her treats. "Easy girl, they are just delivering the mail"

"Ah! A letter from Ron and another from Hermione. I know what they are going to say"

Harry mocked Hermione before opening her letter. "How are you? Are you eating well? Are the muggles treating you right? Are you sleeping? Are you having dreams? Write to us. Let Professor Dumbledore know" True enough that was exactly what she had said. Harry balled up the letter in frustration and threw it into a corner. He opened Ron's letter and began to read.

Dear Harry,

How are you doing? Life here at the Burrow is very boring without you. It is just Ginny and me ("That's Ginny and I, Ron", Harry mocked.) at home now. Did I tell you that the twins have moved out to their own flat above their shop in Diagon Alley? Talk to Professor Dumbledore about when you can come over to the Burrow. We can play lots of Quidditch when you come over here. I hope the muggles are treating you right.

Ron

PS: Ginny says 'Marauders rule' whatever that means!

"Duh! The password!" Harry picked up the journal and said "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good" and tapped the circle on the first page. Different set of letters start appearing on the page above the circle.

Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes

Present to you

The Enchanted Journal

Owner: Harry James Potter

Journal ID: 54SE2VE1F

'Wicked!!' exclaimed Harry. He quickly turned the page to read the instruction

_'You may use any standard quill or muggle pen to write here'_

Harry pulled out his self-inking quill from his trunk and wrote "Hello Journal"

_'Hello Harry Potter'_

Harry was so shocked seeing the new text appear that he dropped the journal on the table and jumped out of his chair. This journal freakishly reminded him of Tom Riddle's diary that had possessed Ginny and forced her to open the Chamber of Secrets during her second year. '_Could this be another dark object? Is this another of Voldemort's tricks?_' Harry wondered. '_But that doesn't sound right. Why would it say it is a product of Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes?_' As the realization dawned upon him, there was no way that Voldemort would have anything to do with the Weasleys. Harry wondered at the ingenuity of the twins to spin a _past tragedy_ into a joke. The twins surely were geniuses. Harry was happy to have given his Tri-wizard competition earnings to them to start their new business.

Harry picked up the enchanted journal and flipped through the blank pages. "Cool! No exit password required unlike the Marauder's Map". He repeated the password again and tapped the red circle. '_This sure is an interesting toy. Let's see how clever the twins are..._' he thought.

"Hello Journal", wrote Harry Potter.

"Hello Harry Potter. How are you?"

"I am fine! How do you know who I am?"

"You are fine? I suspect not. And by the way I know a lot about you."

'_Pretty insightful journal_' he thought.

"OK! I am not fine"

"Let me guess. Girl Trouble?"

_'And a sense of humor too!'_ He laughed out loud. "Nope. No girl trouble here" '_Not had much luck there'_

"Hmm... Would you say you are angry, sad, afraid, frustrated, worried, lonely, and vulnerable at least once in a day?"

Harry pondered about the question and wrote "um... Yes"

"There you go. Girl trouble. That explains it"

Harry burst out laughing for the first time in two weeks. _'This is childish, yet hilarious'_

"No it doesn't explain it. I am angry at a lot of people. I am sad that my godfather is dead. I am afraid that my friendship will cause harm to my friends. I am frustrated that I am stuck here. I am worried and lonely because everyone who loves me ends up dying. I feel vulnerable because I have a mad hatter who is determined to kill me."

Harry was surprised that he was able to vocalize all his fears so easily to an anonymous journal.

"So, you see, it is not 'Girl trouble'"

"Ah! Point noted. So who all are you angry at?"

"A lot of people. My headmaster, my professor, my godfather, my relatives and my friends"

"My! My! I can understand about Snape but why are you angry at Professor Dumbledore? I thought he was your mentor"

"Wait! How do you know that? Who and What are you?" Harry asked suspiciously. This definitely did not look like just an enchanted object.

"Oh darn! I am stuck with one of those 'my life is private' ones. For lack of a better name, you started calling me 'Journal'. This journal was created by the smartest wizards and witches in this world. Ok, I had to say that or Gred and Forge would use me as their tester. I know about your professors because I know enough about your life. And you need not worry about me being a part of Tom Riddle's memory. What you share with me is obviously private and will not be shared with anyone. Nobody can see what you write in your journal except yourself. Happy?"

"Oh yeah? You know me, huh? When was I born?"

"July 31, 1980" '_Anybody could have guessed that. After all, I am the boy-who-lived'_

"What position do I play in Quidditch?"

"Seeker! And you hold two records: to be the youngest seeker to play that position; and you have never ever failed to catch the snitch. Except once when you were out of the game due to a Dementor attack"

_'That is pretty common knowledge too'_ Harry thought.

"Can I produce a Patronus charm? Who taught me?"

"Your Patronus is a full corporeal stag which you successfully used to prevent more than a hundred Dementors from attacking yourself and your godfather. Professor Lupin taught you the Patronus charm and Remus and I agree that you are a very powerful wizard."

_'Flattery eh? I should ask some really tough questions'_ Harry wasn't ready to give up.

"Who saved me from Aragog?" Harry smirked as he thought up this trick question.

"Nobody. Aragog promised not to hurt you but could not extend that promise to his family. I would say that the Weasley's Ford Anglia and Hermione who taught you the _Aranea Exumae_ spell saved your skin that night"

_"Wow! That is pretty accurate. Didn't know that the twins had any seer or divination skills. OR there is someone else at the other end writing into another journal linked to this. Could only be Ginny Weasley!"_

"Will I survive Voldemort?"

"Even I don't know that bit of information you seek, seeker!"

Harry chuckled at the pun. The twins really seemed to have hit the jackpot with this journal.

"But I do hope you survive. We can't have such a cute, brave and handsome hero dying, can we?"

"Flirtaceous, are we? Ok, one last question before I believe you"

"What answer do you seek, Seeker! Ha ha"

"Where am I and how did I get here?"

"That's easy. You are at Number 4, Privet Drive. Your next question is kinda vague. You took the Hogwarts Express to reach Kings Cross station. From there, your Uncle Vernon and Cousin Dudley came to pick you up to take you home, but not before Bill, Tonks and Moody had a 'talk' with your uncle. They sure were surprised that your Aunt Petunia did not come there to receive you."

'_This has to be Ginny! No one else knows all these details and Hermione would be pretty direct_' "Why do you say my question was vague?" Harry was intrigued.

"Because... the first time you were brought there... Rubeus Hagrid picked you up from Godric's Hollow and traveled to Privet Drive on the Sirius's flying motorcycle. There he met Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall. They left you on the doorstep, rang the doorbell and left."

"Sirius's motorcycle? Professor McGonagall? I cant believe it! They just abandoned me as a baby and left?" Harry felt his anger rising. He didn't notice the brightness of his aura or the crackling sound of his magic overflowing.

"They did not abandon you. Professor Dumbledore wrote your Aunt a letter. I am sure he made sure that you were accepted by your aunt into your family before they left."

"What letter? Do you know the contents of that letter?"

"I am sorry! I don't know the contents of the letter. Maybe you could ask your uncle or aunt about it."

"Are you crazy? My Uncle would skin me alive!"

"Has he been threatening you? Has he hurt you?"

"Not this time. I think Bill and Moody's threat is still holding. Even though he hates me, he is not stupid enough to harm me."

"Why does your uncle hate you?"

"What do you mean?" Harry was clearly stumped by that question. He wasn't sure of why his Uncle hated him. He always assumed that his uncle hated him because his aunt hated his mother. But then, it did not make much sense as his aunt had never really shown hatred towards him. In fact he had seen some semblance of pity or even sympathy on her face whenever his uncle mistreated him. And Aunt Petunia had been secretly serving delicious, yet cold food the last few days.

"Does your Aunt Petunia hate you?"

_'If there is no live person on the other end, the twins surely deserved a Nobel Prize or its wizarding equivalent for this invention'_ Harry was proud of the twins. '_Even if there is a person on the other end, it still is a cool invention. Surprising that Ginny is using it after the whole Chamber of Secrets fiasco._'

"No. I don't think Aunt Petunia hates me. I think she is afraid of Uncle Vernon and won't stop him from hurting me. She obviously loves Dudley more than me."

_'So why does his Uncle hate him?'_ Harry thought

"I think he hates magic. That's why he hates me"

"How much magic have you done while you were there? You know you cant do any magic during summers!"

"I haven't done any magic except when Dobby dropped the cake on my uncle's guest. But that was Dobby, not me. And there was the time when I blew up my Aunt Marge like a balloon. I really don't understand why he hates me though. May be I should ask him."

Knock... knock...

Harry immediately shut the journal and threw his quill on the floor. He jumped onto the bed and pretended to be asleep. He heard the door opening and his aunt walking into his room. He felt his aunt stare at his sleeping form for a few minutes before she left the breakfast tray she brought for him and took the dinner plate away. She closed the door without making a sound and walked away from his room.

_Gasp..._

"Harry, Are you there? Talk to me please"

Ginny Weasley was shocked when she read the last sentence. She was scared of what Harry's muggle uncle would do to him. _'What have I done? Harry is going to get hurt because of my stupid suggestion'_ Panic set in and she was getting hysterical.

"Oi Ginny, are you ok?" Ron saw his sister sitting at the dining table writing in a journal when he heard her gasp. _'Since when did Ginny start writing in a journal again?'_ She was almost in tears and looked as if she had just had an encounter with a Boggart. Ron walked over to her and put a hand on her shoulder and asked, "What happened? Are you ok?"

Ginny saw the look of concern on her brother's face and she couldn't hold it any longer. She threw her arms around her bother and started crying.

Ron was surprised by this reaction. He had never been at the receiving end of her hug. Bill and Charlie were the only ones among his siblings who would always get a hug from her. In fact, Ron had never seen Ginny not in control of herself. In spite of all the bad things that happened during her second year in the Chamber of Secrets, or in the fight with death eaters at the Department of Mysteries, Ron had never seen Ginny afraid. '_Whatever happened, really scared her_' he thought. He just held his shuddering and hysterical sister in his arms and let her cry.

"Ginny, calm down and tell me what happened. Is someone in danger?"

"Harry... His uncle... is going to... hurt him..." she stammered in between sobs.

Ron quickly ran into the living room and threw in some floo powder into the fireplace. "Gringotts, Bill Weasley"


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 02: The Peace Offering**

Harry pretended to be asleep and thought about the discussion he had with his journal. Why would anyone be cruel or hateful enough to put a three year old child in a broom cupboard? There is no way that he could have done accidental magic when he was that young. Harry thought about this and realized that he indeed needed to have a discussion with his uncle and aunt.

Harry also realized that he acted as a typical Gryffindor and had reacted to every circumstance in his life in anger. He never took the time to think about the situation he was in and plan the right course of action. Had he acted on his Slytherin instincts, his life would have been very different. He would have appeased his muggle guardians into giving him concessions, he probably would not have had such a tough time with Snape, he would not have made an enemy of Malfoy, he would have had a better time during the Chamber of Secrets incident and during the Tri-Wizard Tournament. The sorting hat was right! He did realize that he had a Slytherin side.

A loud bang of the front door opening and his uncle's shout "YOU!" brought him out of his reverie. There was a lot of noise coming from the living room and Harry ran down to investigate it, wand in hand. When he reached the bottom of the stairs with his wand drawn out, he was shocked to see an enraged Bill Weasley pinning his uncle against the wall with his left forearm against his uncle's throat and the wand in his right hand poking his uncle's chest near his heart.

"Bill, what are you doing?" Harry asked still shocked at the scene.

"Stay out of this Harry, it is for your own good. I am going to teach this fat tub of lard a lesson," Bill growled.

"THIS IS MY HOUSE. GET OUT HERE." Uncle Vernon bellowed trying to show a semblance of bravado but panic and fear was evident in his eyes.

It was obvious to Harry that one of them was going to do something stupid here. The fire and anger in Bill's voice was evident though Harry had no idea as to what his uncle had done.

"WILLIAM ARTHUR WEASLEY! Leave Uncle Vernon alone RIGHT NOW and lower your wand", Harry commanded. Bill had never heard Harry speak in such a tone before and was shocked to hear it. Still indecisive of what to do, he stepped back and lowered his wand. Seeing Bill back down, Uncle Vernon wishing to prove that he was the man of the house tried to punch Bill in his stomach. Before he could do any such thing, Harry commanded in the same voice, "UNCLE VERNON, leave Bill alone and sit on the couch NOW". Uncle Vernon followed.

"Now, Bill, are there any death eaters waiting outside to attack us?"

"No, Harry. There are no death eaters here. You are safe from Voldemort here" Bill replied.

"Then why are you here?" Harry asked in a much calmer yet firm voice.

"We received a tip suggesting that your Uncle Vernon was planning to hurt you" Bill replied not wanting to elaborate further and hoping that Harry wouldn't probe.

"Why you UNGRATEFUL wench..." started Uncle Vernon.

"UNCLE VERNON!" Harry said using his commanding voice again which quieted him. "Were you planning to hurt me?" asked Harry. The expression on his uncle's face told him that it was not the case. Harry turned towards Bill and told him, "Bill, it is obvious that your tip was false. Uncle Vernon does not wish to harm me at this time. Next time, I would suggest that you verify your facts and check up on me before you go about threatening my Uncle and Aunt. Now you may leave as you see there is no necessity for you to be around any longer."

Bill was livid with himself for his behavior. He had let his emotions take over and done a very stupid thing. He was ashamed of himself. '_What just happened?_' he thought to himself before walking out the door and disapparating back to the Burrow. '_I am going to have a lot to answer now.'_

Harry walked up to the living room where his uncle was sitting fuming and red in his face. His aunt walked up to his uncle and sat beside him on the couch. Harry could see fear in her eyes. '_I wonder if she is afraid that I will hurt Uncle Vernon or vice versa_', thought Harry.

"Uncle Vernon, first, I would like to thank you for listening to me and backing down. I would like to apologize for the behavior of Bill Weasley and I give you my personal guarantee that it wont happen again without a just cause."

Both the Drusleys were shocked to hear Harry speaking to them in a composed manner and apologizing for the wizarding world. They just sat there on the couch blinking and not knowing what to say.

"Second, I would like to have a civic conversation with you about us co-existing in this house. I do not want a repeat of what happened just now. So I suggest we have a sit down conversation. I would be interested in knowing what your expectations are of me while I am here under your roof. I would also like to have a chance to voice my grievances here. I would suggest we meet back here in two hours time for the said meeting. Would that be convenient for you?"

Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia, still shocked, had absolutely no idea what had just happened. So they just nodded their approval. Harry thanked them again for listening to him and walked up to his room.

_'What just happened?_' thought Harry. He realized that even if he had planned it, it could not have gone that perfectly. He was going to make an offer to his uncle that he couldn't refuse.

He took a piece of parchment and quickly scribbled a list of questions he needed answered. He wrote a letter and attached the list of questions with it and sealed it in an envelope. He took another piece of parchment and wrote a telegraphic letter.

_Dear Hermione,_

_I am absolutely safe both physically and mentally. Need your expertise ASAP. Could you meet me at the Drusleys (#4 Privet Drive, Surrey) within an hour? Take a taxi if you have to._

_Harry_

After sealing the second letter, Harry went to Hedwig. "Ready for some exercise girl?" Hedwig hooted in response. "Take this letter first to Hermione. You don't have to wait for a response. Then go to Gringotts and give this other letter to Griphook. Wait for his response and try to return back as soon as you can. Got a very important meeting to attend and I will be waiting for you."

Harry opened the window and Hedwig flew away. Now he needed a strategy. An hour later, he was still pacing in his room when he heard a taxi pull in front of his house. Harry ran downstairs hoping to open the door before either his Uncle or Aunt did. Fortunately, they weren't anywhere to be found.

As soon as Harry opened the door, Hermione ran into him and gave him a hug. He could see that she was distraught and in tears. He stood there in the doorway, held her in his arms and tried to calm her down. He could feel her relaxing and released her from the hug. As soon as he did so, Hermione took one step back and punched him in his stomach knocking the wind out of him. "Harry James Potter! Don't you ever scare me like that ever again! Or I will personally kill you with my own hands." As soon as she calmed down, she realized what she had done and enquired guiltily, "Harry, I am sorry. Are you ok?"

Harry nodded and led her upstairs to his room and locked the door. Hermione walked in and sat on his chair and turned towards him waiting for an explanation for his cryptic letter.

"Now I know how Malfoy felt being at the receiving end of your punch." Harry chuckled.

Hermione still ashamed of herself, didn't laugh but she couldn't control the flicker of an involuntary smile on her face.

"Thank you Hermione for coming as soon as you could. I need to talk to you about something and I really could use your expertise."

_'Something has happened. This is not the same Harry I know. He has never asked for help before. I hope it is not one of his impulsive things. He always lands himself in a soup'_, thought Hermione.

Harry continued to explain what happened since morning, how Bill had barged into the Drusley household and threatened his Uncle and his conversation with them after wards. He also told her that he would make an offer to his uncle that he wouldn't refuse and described to Hermione his plan for the evening.

Hermione was impressed with his plan, but she still had a question. "Your plan sounds good Harry. I hope it works as it should. But what I don't understand is, Why am I here?"

"Hermione, I have known you since our first year. I have the tendency of getting into trouble by my inquisitiveness and impulsiveness. I also have a certain penchant for disregarding rules to satisfy my said traits. I see today's meeting with my uncle as a foundation to solve the mystery of why my uncle hates me more than my aunt. And there is every chance that I may get carried away."

"You Hermione, on the other hand have always been the voice of reason. You are grounded and you have an immense respect for both authority and rules. You don't let your emotions affect your judgment. I don't want a repeat of Bill's performance again and that's why I did not invite Ron for this meeting. Does that answer your question?"

"Yes it does, Harry. Thank you". Something buzzed in Hermione's handbag and she pulled out a cellphone and answered it. "Hi mom" "Yes mom, I am fine. Harry is fine too. I am at his place. His relatives are fine too. I will see you later in the evening?" "Thanks mom, love you, bye."

"Ever since my injury, my parents want to keep a tab on me and have bought me a cellphone in spite of me explaining to them that cellphones do not work in the wizarding world." Hermione explained.

Harry saw Hedwig fly into the room and landed on the table and proudly stuck out her leg on which was attached a letter. "Thank you girl, you did great. Here is a treat for you." Hedwig hooted again.

Harry untied the letter and broke open the Gringotts seal. He held it out to Hermione so that she could read it too.

_Mr. Potter,_

_Thank you for your owl. As your account manager at Gringotts, it is my duty and a pleasure to answer your questions._

_The balance in your vault 687 here at Gringotts Diagon Alley branch is approximately 71,000 galleons. You have the right to do whatever you want with your money as the minimum age to operate the Educational Trust vaults according to wizarding law is eleven years. Your current annual expenditure is approximately 4,500 galleons which includes your annual Hogwarts tuition of 4,000 galleons._

_The average income of a lower middle-class wizarding family is approximately 10,000 galleons a year. While a 5 bedroom house with a lawn and a quiditch pitch might cost upto 150,000 galleons, you will be able to rent a modest 2 bedroom flat for 200 galleons a month. Your other monthly expenditure post-graduation from Hogwarts should not be greater than 300 galleons. Hence the remaining 32,000 galleons (post graduation) should last you for at least 5 years for a modest lifestyle._

_However, all this speculation should be moot following the will reading of your godfather, Sirius Black, as I hear through the Gringotts' grapevine that you have been expressly mentioned in his will, although I do not know the details of your inheritance from him. I would suggest that you drop by at Gringotts Bank in a day or two to settle that issue._

_I have enclosed a Bankers Cheque for the amount of 75,000 GBP (15,000 galleons) in favor of your uncle Vernon Drusley, aunt Petunia Drusley and cousin Dudley Drusley. I took the liberty of adding the latter two names to the cheque to ensure their co-operation in your business with them. If you need any further clarification, please do not hesitate to send me an owl._

_Thank you,_

_Griphook_

_Accounts Manager, Gringotts Diagon Alley Branch_

"Smart Goblin!" Harry Chuckled. "He has already guessed what I am going to do. No wonder Goblins know everything. Are you ready to go down and have some fun?"

Harry and Hermione walked down to the living room and sat in the two chairs that were opposite to the couch. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia were already seated in it and were surprised to see that they had company.

"Is she one of your freaks?" demanded Uncle Vernon, but shrunk into the couch seeing the anger in Harry's eyes. Harry took a deep breath and began the meeting.

"Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia. Thank you for agreeing to sit with us for a civil meeting to discuss our mutual grievances. First, I would like to apologize for inviting my friend Hermione to this meeting without your consent. My reasons for inviting her here are three-fold. She is the smartest witch I know and there is no curse or hex she doesn't know about. She is my best friend and will ensure that I am not taken advantage of unduly at this meeting. Lastly, she would be a dampening effect on my temper in case our meeting turns ugly. It would be in our best interests to be courteous and civil and hear each other out and come to a mutual understanding. So why don't you begin Uncle Vernon?"

"Alright. I will bite your bait", started Uncle Vernon in his boardroom voice. Hermione pulled out her notebook and a ball point pen and started making notes.

"Number 1: I will not allow freaks into my house."

"Number 2: I will not allow any funny business inside or outside my house in the neighborhood."

"Number 3: I will not allow you to show any disrespect towards me, your aunt or your cousin."

"Number 4: At no point are you or your freaky friends allowed to cause any harm or discomfort to me and my family."

"Number 5: You are to do your chores assigned by me or your aunt and earn your keep here."

"I reserve the right to add to these points as we move along in this meeting."

"Now your turn," said Uncle Vernon with a smile that suggested that he had won a legal case based on res ipsa loquitor.

Harry looked at Hermione who nodded to him to continue. Harry took a deep breath before he started speaking.

"Thank you Uncle Vernon, for being succinct. Before I agree to your terms, may I ask you a few questions to clarify your points?" When Uncle Vernon nodded, he looked at Aunt Petunia and asked, "Would you or Dudley like to add any further points, Aunt?"

Aunt Petunia was surprised at his reaction and said, "Dudley and I reserve the right to add to these points as we move along in this meeting. Right now, I have nothing else to add."

"Thank you Aunt." Looking at his uncle he asked, "Uncle Vernon, would you agree with me that my conduct, behavior and manner of addressing you and your family TODAY has been anything but disrespectful?" Uncle Vernon agreed with him as did Aunt Petunia.

"Would it satisfy one of your points if I were to continue the same approach whenever I interact with you and your family?" Again, they both nodded. Uncle Vernon could not hide the smirk on his face when he realized that he had won the first point in this debate. Harry continued, "If I were to extend this courtesy to you, would you be willing to do the same to me? That would mean among other things that you not shout at me or call my friends names or refer to them as freaks"

Uncle Vernon's smile wavered a little but he conceded that he had a better deal here. So he agreed. Aunt Petunia did the same.

"Now, about the funny business around the Drusley neighborhood," Harry continued.

"As you know, we are not allowed to do magic outside of school during the summers." This brought a bigger smile to Uncle Vernon's face. "However, this restriction on underage magic according to the wizarding law is waived for self-protection. That means that if ever I feel that my life is threatened, I will proverbially speaking, shoot first and ask questions later." Harry could see a shudder go through Uncle Vernon at that.

"As my headmaster might have explained to you, I am currently on the most-wanted list of a terrorist and his minions, the Death-eaters, who have tried to kill me at least once every year since I have gone to Hogwarts. His name is Lord Voldemort and he is the one who killed my parents using the killing curse Avada Kedavra." Harry's eyes were moist at this sentence and he fought hard not to show any weakness.

"That said, there is every possibility that the Death-eaters will try to kill me while I am here. You are not at any more increased risk due to close proximity to me because his minions would kill you on sight just because you people are non-magical. So having me around is actually a blessing in disguise because I will be able fight magic with magic. Secondly, the blood wards get recharged as long as I live with you folks. Think of me as a battery that recharges the wards that keep these death eaters away for the rest of the year. I cannot guarantee your hundred percent safety, but I will try to protect you provided you follow my orders if and when we are under attack."

"So about funny business, I will not do magic while I am here unless I feel my life is threatened either by you, your family, Death eaters or Lord Voldemort. Would that be acceptable to you?"

In spite of all the talk about death and terrorists, Uncle Vernon realized that he had won another point and he readily agreed. Petunia had a surprised expression on her face when she asked, "You would protect us if those death eaters come here?"

Harry wasn't surprised to hear that question. "Yes Aunt Petunia, when in danger, do as I say and I will protect you. In spite of how I feel I have been treated here, my conscience will not allow me to let you three be harmed." Petunia nodded.

"Continuing onto a similar point, from today on, I will not allow any of my friends to threaten you in any way provided our terms we agree today are upheld by you. You honor your end of the deal and I will do mine."

Uncle Vernon could not believe that he had scored again. But he had his own doubts about this boy's ability to control his friends. So he asked, "How can you guarantee on behalf of everyone? How do I know that someone will not pounce on me behind your back?"

Hermione spoke for the first time during the meeting. "Harry is a very powerful wizard. If he tells them not to trouble you, they won't. Even I can guarantee that!"

Vernon scoffed at that and said, "You mean to say that your headmaster, that giant oaf and that cat woman will listen to this boy? No way!"

Hermione was shocked when she recognized the people he had described. She looked at Harry and realized that he wasn't surprised at all. "Tell me Mr. Drusley, did those three threaten you?"

"Of course they did! The day they dropped him off at our door step and tried to sneak away."

"Is that why you have abused Harry here? Because they threatened you and you had to vent it out on a child?" Hermione was furious.

"Now listen, young lady! You have no right to..." Vernon was about to stand up.

"UNCLE VERNON!" Harry used his commanding voice. "Please let me apologize for my friend's outburst here. She means no harm or disrespect. It is natural to get angry when your loved ones are abused and you will please pardon my young friend here. Although, I would strongly suggest that you not get a raise from her. Otherwise, however powerful I am, I will not be able to beat or control my very clever friend. Please let us continue our civil meeting." Vernon visually paled when he understood the unveiled threat.

"Uncle Vernon, I will guarantee you and your family safety from all my friends including those three you mentioned earlier provided you do not break any of our agreed terms. Is that acceptable?"

"Yes, it is." He nodded to continue. He was winning and he liked it.

"Now the two things remaining on your list are: me doing my chores to earn my keep and allowing my friends to come and visit me" Hermione could see that Harry was on a roll.

"Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia, you have allowed me to live here for 10 years full time and last 4 summers. Even though I have lived the first ten years in a cupboard under the stairs, I have to agree that you fed me and ensured that I was safe under your roof. For this I would like to thank you. In spite of how I perceive that I was treated, I should show you gratitude for doing that." Uncle Vernon could not hold his grin here. Harry continued, "I need to remind you that I need to stay in this house for my protection, and also yours for the next two summers after which I will not be living with you. So as a show of goodwill and gratitude and for a few concessions, I wish to present to you a Bankers Cheque for the amount of 75,000 pounds." Harry picked up the cheque and showed it to them without handing it over.

"Where did you get that kind of money boy? Did you steal it?" asked Uncle Vernon.

"Umm... Uncle, might I remind you that you are not showing me the respect by accusing me of stealing. If you really need to know, I borrowed it from my friend's father." Harry said pointing at Hermione. Hermione though she was shocked, did not show it on her face. This was not something they had discussed. With her best poker she said, "My dad and mom are like you, they are non magical people and they are dentists with a very good practice."

"Why would you do that? Are you his girlfriend?" Petunia asked Hermione.

Hermione smiled at her and said, "That is what you do for someone you love. No, I am not Harry's girlfriend. He is my best friend and I do love him. He has always been good to me and has saved me from certain death multiple times, sometimes at the risk of his own life. If this amount can bring him some happiness and peace, I am more than willing to give it away."

"Moreover, I think my other best friend has a crush on her and it might be mutual", Harry laughed watching the blush creep up on Hermione's face.

Uncle Vernon was still apprehensive. "You said something about concessions?"

"I have three requests. First, you will let some of my friends to come and visit me as often as they like. When they visit me, they will do so at civilized hours except in case of an emergency, will be properly attired in normal clothing and will be respectful and will not do any funny business. As far as possible, I will try to inform you well in advance of their trips. While they are here, we may sit together and study or have fun playing one of our games in my room. But we will remember the manners of the house while we are here and will not impose on you in case you have company. They will also not impose on you for any food or drink. But I would like you to extend basic courtesy to them such as greeting them preferably with a genuine smile or inviting them for a cup of tea and biscuits, which I am sure they will reject"

"Second, I will not do any chores at home. I think with this Bankers Cheque, I have here with me will already have earned my keep."

"Third, I will not be imposing on you for food or drink. I might occasionally come down and have some tea if I crave your company. My food and cleaning will be taken care of a special friend of mine who is magical. He will only come to me when I call him and I will call only when I am in my room. His name is Dobby. Would you like to meet him?"

Hermione was livid. This was again not part of the plan. But she let him continue. She wanted to know where this was going. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia looked uncertain.

"Don't worry, I will tell him not to harm you in any way." They nodded. "Dobby!"

There was a loud crack and Dobby immediately appeared in the living room and hugged Harry's leg.

"Harry Potter, Sir calling Dobby." Dobby became hysterical and started crying. "What can Dobby do for the greatest wizard Harry Potter Sir?"

"Dobby, I would like you to meet my Uncle and Aunt. I don't want you to harm them in any way and protect them if you can. The exception of course is if they try to harm you, me or my friends and you can use any magic you want. Will you do that for me?"

"Of course, Harry Potter, Sir. Dobby will do what ever Harry Potter Sir asks!"

"Thank you Dobby. I would also want you to only appear in my room when I am there. I do not want you to scare these muggles by appearing in front of them. That will be all Dobby for now. I will talk to you more about our arrangement tomorrow."

Dobby disappeared with a loud crack.

"Please don't underestimate Dobby because of his small size. As you can see, he is very loyal to me and will do anything to protect me and mine. He once threw a full trained wizard 100 feet backwards with just a flick of his hand because the wizard drew his wand to harm me." Harry explained and his relatives nodded.

"Other than these three concessions, I would love it if you could throw in a few minor favors like dropping me some place on the way to work or picking me up from the train station, etc. the things you have been doing for the last few years, for which I am very grateful."

"There ends my requests and to give you an added incentive to keep up your end of the bargain, I will throw in another 25,000 pounds on my 17th birthday which will be the day I leave your home permanently. This money will be given to you even if Voldemort gets lucky and kills me provided, you haven't broken our agreement. There are ways magical people can track if a contract is broken. So are you willing to agree?"

"Yes", said Uncle Vernon. "I like the terms." Aunt Petunia nodded and smiled with pride.

"Ok, please hold out your hands and shake my hand and my friend will touch our hands with her wand. I promise you that this will not hurt. This would make our arrangement magically binding. I have to warn you that if you or I break our agreement, the consequences can be disastrous." Aunt Petunia blanched at this. '_She sure knows more about the magical world than she lets on_'

Uncle Vernon was the first to hold out his hand. He felt like a winner. Aunt Petunia held out her hand gingerly and they both shook Harry's hand. When Hermione touched her wands to their hands, it was encircled by a blue glow accompanied by a tingling sensation and it disappeared.

Harry got up and handed over the Banker's Cheque to Uncle Vernon. "I offer you this as a peace offering. Remember that in spite of Dudley not being here, he too is bound by our magical contract as he is still under your guardianship. Thank you Uncle and Aunt, it was fun speaking with you."

"Umm, Harry! I have to report to my summer job now. How about I come over tomorrow morning?" Harry gave her a hug and whispered in her ear, "Thank you Hermione. We will talk more later," and walked her out of the house to her cab that was waiting for her.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 03: Conversations and Realizations**

"Ok, spill it!" Hermione and Harry were sitting on the floor of Harry's room the next morning.

"What do you mean Hermione?"

"Harry, I have had a lot of time to think while recuperating at St. Mungo's. I have known you for all these years and there is definitely something non-Harryish about the way you behaved yesterday. Why not we start with 'How are you doing?'"

"I am fine! Is non-Harryish a word?"

"Harry, when have you ever told the truth when you said 'I am fine'? I am your best friend remember? Sometimes life is just easy if you share your burdens with others. I promise that I will not nag you after listening to you, nor will I share what you told me with others. Tell me what has been on your mind?" Hermione could already see the chain reaction starting and was waiting for Harry's temper. Harry started pacing the room and missed Hermione placing imperturable and silencing charms around the room.

"What do you want me to tell you Mia? HE HAS KNOWN IT ALL MY LIFE and yet he did nothing to prepare me for my future. Had he told me about the prophecy, Sirius would not have died. What does he do? Forces me onto Snape who mind-rapes me while he hides from me!" Hermione expected that Harry would be depressed about the death of his godfather, but it almost looked like Harry was actually more angry at someone rather than being depressed. Seeing the confused expression on Hermione's face, Harry took a deep breath and started afresh.

"OK, you asked for it, so here it is. The great wizard Albus Dumbledore took it upon himsElf to save the savior of the wizarding world, the boy-who-lived and placed him at his abusive relatives for 10 years of his life and later every summer all for the 'greater good'." Harry's speech was dripping in sarcasm.

"He knew that Lord Voldemort was not dead and he knew that the boy-who-lived was prophesized to either kill him or be killed by him. Yet, Dumbledore left the boy-who-lived with a magic-hating family instead of a family that would train him to face his destiny. This family tells the boy-who-lived that their parents died in a car crash and were good-for-nothing drunks, prostitutes and criminals. After the boy-who-lived starts attending Hogwarts, he bans everyone under his control, which is almost everyone, from speaking about the boy-who-lived's parents with him. Any information necessary is always given after the fact and is withheld from the boy-who-lived for the 'greater good'. I sometimes question the sanity of the old man. Tell me Mia, if you were Dumbledore and you know that the boy would have to fight Lord Voldemort in the future, what would you do?"

Hermione was shocked at what she just heard about the prophecy. "But the prophecy was lost!"

"That was only a copy, Mia. The prophecy was told to Dumbledore. What it says is that I should either kill Voldemort or he will kill me and I apparently have a 'power the Dark Lord knows not'. That's my destiny."

Tears started pouring down Hermione's face and she jumped up and threw her hands around Harry neck and hugged him tightly. Harry was about to complain that he could not breathe when he heard her sobs. He had never seen Hermione cry like this before. He wrapped his arms around her and tried to console her awkwardly. Hermione refused to let him go and continued to hug him and sob. Nearly ten minutes later, Harry realized from her rhythmic breathing that Hermione had dozed off. Harry maneuvered her onto his bed and let her sleep. Now he really felt guilty to have made her cry.

Hermione woke up with a smile on her face. She had had a very pleasant dream in which she had gone on a trip with her family and Harry to various magical historical sites. The Harry in her dream was so out of character that she had found him amusing. As she opened her eyes, she realized that she wasn't sleeping in her bed. She became aware of the person sitting on a chair waiting for her to wake up. "Harry, where are we?"

"Wake up sleepy head. Our lunch is ready. I would suggest a trip to the restroom, but it looks like my uncle has locked us in. Force of habit I suppose."

"Oh! Let me fix that." She dished out her wand and muttered an incantation. As she got out of the bed, the memories of her conversation came back to her and fresh tears started rolling off her cheeks. With a supernatural speed, something that can be considered normal for Hermione, she jumped up and hugged Harry again. "Now, now, Mia. We don't want you passing out again. Have you been over working yoursElf? Are you using a time turner again? And how come you are doing magic?" Harry was very concerned that Hermione would have to deal with Ministry now.

While Hermione was washing up, Harry called Dobby and gave him an offer to work for him for pay. "Dobby, Hermione will kill me if I enslave you. Also, I get the feeling that you would prefer to be a free Elf. Is there anyway where you can work for me without becoming a slave?"

"Yes Harry Potter Sir! There is. But it have not been done for a few centuries. An Elf and his family can works for their master as servants and not slaves. But they will draw magic from master and not master's house."

"What do you mean Dobby? Could you explain about this drawing of magic?"

"Sir, when an Elf binds himsElf, the Elf usually binds to master's magical house and Elf and Elven children are bound to their masters house as slaves forever. Elf needs to be bound to survive. Without magic, Elf goes insane and dies. That is why Winky is ill and Kreature went mad."

"So what happens when the Elf binds with the master and not his magical house?"

"Elf becomes servant and not slave. Master can still order his servants. Elf can work in non-magical homes when Elf draws magic from master."

"So how many free Elves can I bind this way so that they can survive? How much of my magic will be used?"

"Harry Potter Sir is great and powerful wizard. Harry Potter Sir can bind with at least a thousand Elves and not feel any drain on his magic. If Elf is ordered to do large-scale magic, Harry Potter Sir will only be tired for a few minutes"

"If I die, what will happen to those Elves? Will they die?"

"The Elves will have a few months before they have to bind themselves to either another masters house or another master"

"There are many Elves working at Hogwarts. How come Winky is the only one not doing well?"

"Winky wants to bind with a master's family. She too stubborn to bind with Hogwarts. She die in a couple of months if she doesn't bind. She is very sick."

"What about you Dobby? Did you bind yoursElf with Hogwarts?"

Dobby started fidgeting and pulling on his long ears. "Dobby being very bad Elf! Dobby will punish himsElf, Master!"

"Dobby, stop it right now. No punishing yoursElf. Tell me what is wrong. Why did you call me Master?"

"Dobby bound himsElf as servant to Harry Potter Sir when Harry Potter Sir freed Dobby. Dobby did this to survive. Dobby bad servant for deceiving the great Harry Potter Sir. Dobby will punish himsElf now."

"Stop Dobby! I am fine with it. Don't punish yoursElf for anything without my permission and that is an order." Dobby hugged Harry's leg and started wailing. "Why not we renew the binding with you? Also why don't you get Winky so that I can bind her too? But before that I need to talk to Hermione about it and convince her. Why not meet me in an hour and bring Winky along?" Dobby was so deliriously happy and did an Elven jig before disappearing with a loud crack.

"Hey Mia! How are you feeling?"

"Much Better. Since when did you start calling me Mia?" She huffed.

"Well, I like the name Hermione and you are right, Hermy, Herms or Mione sound awful. Mia sounds good and can be a short nickname for you. You like it?"

"Umm... yeah I do. But you will be the only one to call me that."

"Well, guess what? I have some great news!" Harry said with a naughty twinkle in his eyes. "I am going to bind with at least a thousand Elves!"

"WHAT! HOW CAN YOU DO THAT? AFTER ALL THAT I HAVE DONE FOR S.P.E.W., MY BEST FRIEND WANTS TO ENSLAVE NOT ONE BUT A THOUSAND ELVES? HOW DARE YOU?" Hermione was red in her face.

Harry could not control his laughter any longer. "Relax Mia! Let me explain and you will agree with me."

"NEVER! BUT EXPLAIN!!"

Harry then explained his conversation with Dobby and explained about Elves' need to be bound otherwise they would die. He also explained the difference between servants and slaves.

Hermione wondered if there is a heirarchy in Elven society and if servants were better respected than slaves. The more they talked about it, the more she liked Harry's idea. "But Harry, how did you find out so much about Elves? I haven't had any luck with them. No Elf wanted to speak to me."

"Mia, do you know what the Elves call you? she-who-frees-Elves. They are very scared of you." Harry could see the embarrassment of her face. "More over I think spew sounds horrible."

"It's not spew, it is S.P.E.W." She huffed. "If you think it sounds bad, what would you have named the organization?"

"I don't know! Something catchy like... umm... Elf Life Foundation... or something like that! Moreover, your goal should have been improving Elfish wElfare rather than liberating them. Almost sounds like you were imposing your standards of 'greater good' on them."

Hermione was horrified at what she had done. Harry could see tears forming in her eyes. "I am sorry Harry! I really was not thinking. I thought I had the right idea and was angry at all those purebloods and their refusal to do anything about it. Maybe they had the right idea in not trying to liberate them."

"It's alright Hermione. We all make mistakes. My mistake in not listening to you cost me my godfather's life. No! I don't blame mysElf for his death. I have accepted it. But many of us are responsible for the mess and the blame primarily falls on Bellatrix Lestrange and Voldemort. And to a small extent on Dumbledore. He may be a great wizard, but he is not infallible."

"Big words Harry, infallible!" She teased. "But I do like Elf Life Foundation. You can shorten it to E.L.F. Any other such pearls of wisdom?"

"Hmm... I don't know... How about WElfare of Lycanthropes Foundation for WOLF?"

"That's amazing Harry! When did you get so smart?" She teased.

"I don't know Mia! I was always smart I guess. I couldn't do better than Dudley in School because I would get a beating if my Uncle sees my score card. I guess I continued the same attitude when I came to Hogwarts. I hate the attention given to the boy-who-lived, so I guess I tried to be as normal or below average as I could. Unfortunately it never worked for me."

"Harry, I want to talk to you a little more about this. I want to understand the effect of the abuse you suffered here at Privet Drive and hopefully help you overcome such sElf-imposed barriers. Would you be willing to help me do that? I promise I wont nag you!"

"Mia, this is the second time you talked about nagging! Did something happen?"

"No Harry! I have had a lot of time to introspect while I was at St. Mungos. I guess I am trying to grow up and not be the bossy know-it-all you know and love. I really want to make a difference in my life and I want to be accepted in in the wizarding society. That has been my goal since the day I got my Hogwarts letter. Did you know how difficult it is for a muggle-born to live in our world? I was encouraged not to apply for most jobs at the ministry because of my blood status. Muggle-borns cant do many things and are even taxed differently. You know something? I am embarrassed to admit this though. One of the reasons for my crush on Ron might be that I might find better acceptance in our world because of his blood status."

"WHAT? NO! Mia, that SHOULD NOT be the reason to be with someone!"

"Come on Harry. Think about it, Ron and I are polar opposites. He is everything I should hate in a boyfriend. He is lazy, totally not driven, uncouth, ill-mannered, ill-tempered, jealous and petty. Not to disrespect the Weasleys, their household is too chaotic and Mrs. Weasley really smothers her children rather than nurture them. I can understand why Bill, Charlie, the twins and even Percy chose to move out of the Burrow. She so wants to protect her children that she does not care about their personal development. All of them have such bad tempers and rush into conclusions and situations without thinking. The twins channel their temper into pranking. Its not that I don't love them, I am just analyzing them. So why do I have a crush on Ron? Is crush/love so irrational?"

"I don't know Mia! I don't know what love is. So I cant really answer your questions. But you do raise some valid points. Could it be that Ron was the only one to show interest in you? But then I am not sure why that is so because you certainly are pretty enough to be noticed. Or could it be that you are overanalyzing the situation? But then again, there has to be something you should like about him to feel that way."

As they kept pondering about a possible solution, Hermione gasped! "No! He couldn't have! He couldn't have stooped to that level. Could he?" Hermione got more agitated as she kept rambling.

"What do you mean Mia? Who couldn't have done what?"

"Harry, do you think he gave me a love potion? It may not have been a powerful one or maybe it is a compulsion potion?"

"Mia, I don't think Ron has the brains to do that. His actions do not support the theory. He keeps fighting with you just to get a raise out of you. Maybe it is his or your form of flirting. But if he had given you a potion, I am sure he would have taken a more direct approach. But considering your potion theory, who stands to gain from it?"

"Oh! a lot of people. Lets see... It could have been Mrs. Weasley, Ginny or any of those girls or even guys from your fan club."

"What do you mean my fan club? And guys??" Harry was clearly embarrassed. "I don't think Mrs. Weasley or Ginny would stoop that low. It could be the master manipulator Dumbledore for all you know."

"Harry, Ginny has had a crush on you for a very long time. Mrs. Weasley has had a history of usage of such potions. A story for another day! And I refuse to believe Dumbledore could do that. He is after all the greatest wizard of our time."

"Mia, do you think there is an obedience/loyalty aspect of the potion or charm? Is that why you so whehemently support Dumbledore in spite of all that I told you?"

"It doesn't matter who did it! Can we undo the effect of these potions or charms if they are there?" Hermione always the logical and intelligent one.

"I guess we can always ask the Goblins for help. I hear that they would do anything if you grease their hands enough. Moreover I am supposed to meet them in a day or two. By the way, will you be able to come with me there? And tell me more about this summer job of yours and how you are able to do magic."

"You are going to make fun of me!" Hermione was clearly embarrassed. "I promise I wont tease you Mia. At least not too much! Come on you can trust me!"

"Well, I had a long talk with my parents and told them everything about the Wizarding world. I had not told them about the war earlier. They understand that I want to be part of our world and were surprisingly very cooperative. They asked me what the most ideal solution would be. So after a lot of thought, we met a wizarding lawyer who suggested that I be emancipated in the muggle world which would automatically mean being emancipated in the wizarding world too."

"My parents are rich enough to promise me to pay for my Hogwarts tuition and other expenses. But according to wizarding law, I should provide proof of employment to be emancipated in our world. So I talked to the Weasley twins and requested them a job and after some thought, they told me that their silent partner would not have any trouble with it. I also need to have a separate address from my parents within 30 days. It can be in the muggle world and the ministry doesn't need to know it. So I was going to ask Mr. Weasley if I could be a paying guest in their house. But now, I don't know."

"WOW! I really need to learn more about our worlds, both muggle and wizarding. I hadn't even considered emancipation. Are your folks okay with you having a different address? Would it just be nominal or would you have to live there?"

"Harry, my parents got married when they were 18. They understand the need when the chick needs to leave the nest. But they only ask that they be involved in any major decision in my life. In fact, they are the ones who helped me work things out about the emancipation and Ron. I would like to have an address where I spend most of my summer learning and doing magic. That is the reason why I spend so much time at the burrow. However, I would also like to visit my parents during the weekends while they are free and spend time with them."

"Mia, I would love to help you out, but even if you were to completely avoid my relatives using my invisibility cloak, this room is too small for both of us. I wish there was a way. Maybe I will ask Dobby and Winky."

"Winky, thank you for coming. I have a couple of questions before we do that binding." Both Winky and Dobby nodded. "What happens to children born to married Elves who are servants? And what happens when if the Elves are slaves?"

Winky's eyes widened at the question. "Harry Potter Sir will let Elves marry and have children?"

"Of Course Winky, what is so surprising about that?"

"I agree with Dobby. Harry Potter Sir is really a great Wizard. Wizards do not let Elves marry because married Elves become servants and not slaves. The children born from marriage become free Elves and can choose new master. Generally, wizards order Elves to have children who be born slaves to their master."

"That is atrocious Winky! Would you want to be my servant? I promise I will not ill treat you and will look out for you. I promise you that both of you may marry who ever you want and have as many little Elves as you want. but there are a few rules. I want you to buy/make yourselves the best clothes that you want anytime. I also want you to speak your mind to me as if you are my equal. If I am wrong, I want you to tell me so. I realized that I don't know anything about Elven culture, heck I don't even know about wizarding and muggle worlds. I want you to be my teachers. Can you do that?"

Both Dobby and Winky were deliriously happy. After the bonding ritual, the effect on Dobby and Winky was amazing. Both became taller, their eyes became shrunken and were no longer the size of tennis balls, and their ears were more proportionate to the size of their heads. "Thank you Master" they both said.

"How come you both look different? And please call me Harry. I am really uncomfortable with 'Master'. That is what those death eaters call Voldemort"

"Okay Harry Potter Sir. Dobby and Winky will tries to call you Harry. But sometimes we forgets"

"Now a few things that need to be done. I need to give you both access to my Gringotts vault so that you may buy anything you need." Seeing that shocked expression on their face, Harry said, "I understand I don't do things as other wizards do. So don't be so surprised at what I say. Also, can anything be done with living arrangements here? Dobby will you be able to take me to Gringotts tomorrow morning?"

"Yes sir, I is able to take you to Gringotts tomorrow"

"We Elves will surely be able to make this place comfortable to live. What would you want me to do?"

"I don't know Winky, why don't you surprise me? I am going to go for a walk to the park. Would a few hours be enough? Also remember I do not want anyone to know about the changes. I may have Hermione and a few of my friends visiting or even living here. I don't want anyone from the Order of the Phoenix knowing about these changes. Can you manage it?"

Winky had a pensive expression on her face and started whispering to Dobby in a strange language which Harry assumed to be Elven. They seem to have come to a conclusion. "Master, we is requesting permission to use some of your magic to make changes to your living arrangements. You may feel a little tired."

Recognizing a formal request, Harry said, "Not a problem Winky. I hereby give Winky and Dobby permission to use any amount of my magic whenever you want and you may do so without asking me for permission again. I also give you permission to use my magic to protect yourselves from anyone who wishes you harm." Dobby and Winky were so shocked that they both crumbled to the ground. "Dobby and Winky, you both are my friends. Don't be so surprised at what I will do for my friends. And make sure you both have the best living arrangements too."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 04: Power of Three, Power of Seven**

Three hours later, Harry returned to his room to find Dobby and Winky fidgeting with excitement. Harry looked around and could see nothing different with his room. Winky gave a big smile and said "Follow me, Harry Potter Sir" and walked through the wall next to his bed. "Wow! that looks like the barrier at Kings Cross"

When Harry followed Winky through the portal, he was surprised by what he found. He was standing in a large unfurnished living room with a wooden flooring, and a large fireplace. There was one door on one side of the living room which lead to a large closet sized room. Winky informed him that it would be the apparition and portkey point of the house. On the other side of the living room, there was a arch which lead to a relatively large dining area that would comfortably seat 6-8 people around a dining table.

Next to the dining area was a kitchen with a central granite topped platform that had place to house two ovens on one side, and a dishwasher and a small refrigerator on the other side.. All round the platform, were wooden cabinets to store ingredients, a place to fix the microwave oven. Winky explained that her previous mistress, Mrs. Crouch took a strong interest in muggle inventions and loved to furnish her house as beautifully as the muggles did. She had many muggle magazines that had pictures of smart home decor. As Winky showed Harry the rest of the house, he couldn't help but be in awe of what Winky could do.

There were five guest bedrooms each with an ensuite bathroom and a walk in closet. None of the rooms were furnished. Each of the rooms could be temperature controlled and had magic windows that had a different view. The master bedroom was huge with two walk in closets and large bathroom whose design was based on the prefects bathroom. The large bathtub could easily seat at least 6 persons at a time.

The rest of the floor consisted of a dueling room with a one-way transparen't wall with a viewing room on the other side. On the other side of the dueling room was a potions lab. Harry was surprised to see that the potions lab resembled a muggle chemistry lab with two rows of workstations with three in each row. Each work station had a ingredient preparation area, an area to store the knives, stirrers, mortars and pestles and a place to keep the cauldrons and the heating lamp. Winky explained that each workstation came with an Elven ward that would prevent an exploding cauldron from harming others in the room.

The last room was a study/library whose ceiling was charmed to show the night sky irrespective of cloud coverage. Winky explained that you could zoom in any constellation by asking the ceiling to do so. Harry was amazed at what they had done in such a short time.

"Winky, I can't believe that you both did all this in such a short time!"

"Oh no Sir! Winky and Dobby had a lot of help. We asked 49 free house Elves to help and they did all this with their magic. In return, they ask that they be bound to you so that they may survive until they find a new wizard or house to bind to. We is sorry we did not discuss this with you."

"Of course not Winky, I will gladly bond with them as servants but not as slaves. They are to follow the same rules as you. Wear clothes, get a pay, not punish themselves without permission and use magic freely. But tell me something, where exactly is this place? What about recharging of the blood wards? What if someone from the order comes looking for me and I am not there? What if Mad-eye Moody recognizes that portal and follows here?"

"Harry Potter Sir, this place is underground, below your relatives' house. We have used some Elves whose ancestors were dwarfs to help in the construction. They are usually hired by Goblins in their mines."

"That is perfect! As we are still at #4 Privet Drive, the wards will still recharge right?" Harry enquired. At this Winky and Dobby started fidgeting. "Come on, tell me what the problem is."

"Master, we Elves see magic, we see that the blood-wards are almost gone. If Master desires, we make wards stronger with Elven magic. But we needs blood from Master, your aunt and someone you are not related to by blood. Three bloods makes strong ward. Master, your blood, your aunt's and your uncle's blood as wizard, squib and muggle blood makes it strong. But Dobby can give blood, so a wizard, squib and Elf blood ward makes stronger ward, only next to wizard, Elf and Goblin blood ward."

Harry was amazed! "Would you really do that for me, Dobby and Winky?"

"Of course Master! Also, calling this place your home, will make the ward stronger. Only one of the three has to live in this place to maintain the wards. As for the scary-eye wizard, we can hang a magical painting on the portal entrance and he wont know the difference. We can also enchant an object with your magical signature and he wont know the difference. We set it so enchanted object appears only if Master not in the room."

"Winky, you and Dobby are brilliant! Let us go and recharge the wards."

Aunt Petunia readily agreed to donate a little blood. She preferred to donate the blood by using a hypodermic needle in stead of by cutting her palm. Uncle Vernon was convinced after it was explained to him that Harry, Dobby and Winky would be invisible while the ward is being strengthened. After discussing this further, the trio decided that it would be best to cast a new ward within the boundary of the old blood ward so that Dumbledore would not be notified of the change in status of his ward. The new ward would only allow those who have been invited to enter the house on a temporary basis. That would mean that the Bird Club members would not be able to drop in unannounced. Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon promised to call Harry before they let anyone inside the house.

That night Harry and the two Elves waited till night fall before they would begin casting the ward. They decided to anchor the ward on a rune stone in the center of the new study in the Den as Harry started calling his new accommodations affectionately. It seemed that luck was in their favor when they smelled strong smell of tobacco and alcohol nearby. "Dobby, could you please put a sleep spell on Mundungus while we work on the ward?" Dobby disappeared with a very faint pop. In fact it was so faint that had Harry not expected it, Harry would not have noticed. "It is because you gave us free use of your magic, Master." Winky said seeing the expression on Harry's face. Thirty minutes later, no. 4, Privet Drive had a faint red glow which lasted a few seconds before it disappeared.

This time harry noticed the depletion of his magic and decided to call it a night to recuperate. As his master bedroom was still unfurnished, he decided to sleep in his old room for the night.

Five hours later, at 2 AM, Harry woke up screaming to find Dobby's finger on his scar. He suddenly realized that his scar did not hurt him any longer. "Dobby, Winky! Quick go to the Lovegood and Bones Residences and bring them all downstairs to the Den. They are about to be attacked by Death Eaters." Both the Elves disappeared with a very faint pop. Pushing himself out of the bed, he decided to walk through the portal to wait for his guests.

A few minutes later, Harry heard a lot of commotion in the closet where the portkey and apparition points were. Harry opened the door to find Luna and her father there. Luna walked up to Harry and gave him a hug and in her characteristic dreamy voice, she said, "I told you Daddy, that Harry would save us if he can!"

Before Harry could invite them into the living room, three more people appeared in the room. Harry was immediately hugged by a near hysterical red haired girl. "HARRY, thank you! Thank you very much for saving us." It took Harry a minute to recognize that it was Susan Bones who was hugging him. "Susan, you are welcome. Are all of you okay? Is anybody hurt?" Susan shook her head while still hugging him.

'What is it with crying women?' Harry did the only thing he could think of, he hugged her back and patted her back consoling her. There was an older lady who Harry recognized as Madame Bones. "Welcome to my home, Madam Bones. And Daphne Greengrass??" recognizing the black haired beautiful girl who was unpopularly known at Hogwarts as the Ice-Queen of Slytherin.

Daphne walked up to Harry and hugged him too, "Thank you Harry! I don't know how you knew, but thank you for saving our lives. After the tragedy last week, I don't know what I would have done had they captured me."

At Harry's questioning look, Madam Bones told him that Daphne had lost her mother in a Death Eater raid last week because they refused to join them. Fortunately Daphne, who happened to be Susan's cousin, was at the Bones residence at that time.

"Please feel free to make yourself comfortable here. There is absolutely no furniture here as we just finished the construction. I am not allowed to do magic here, so could one of you elders please conjure or transfigure some beds for tonight? I can't tell you where 'here' is. But this place has strong wards and the only people who know that this place exists are the ones in the room. Maybe we could all rest for a while and talk during breakfast tomorrow? Would anyone like to eat something now?"

Everyone shook their head and Luna introduced Harry to her father Xenophilus Lovegood, the owner and Executive editor of the Quibbler. Harry asked Dobby to pick up Hermione for breakfast tomorrow. Madame Bones conjured and transfigured beds for everybody. Even though there were enough rooms, Daphne and Susan decided to room in.

Harry woke up early in the morning and was surprised to find all bathrooms had their fixtures done and there was water flowing through the taps. After brushing his teeth, Harry decided to have a quick shower and change into Dudley's cast off clothes and was surprised to find that they actually fit him. _'Guess I will have to thank Winky for that! I definitely need new clothes.'_, Harry decided.

By 7 AM, everyone was awake and at the dining table and Hermione soon joined them. Hermione was surprised at the eclectic collection of people here at the table and wanted to enquire where they were. Harry silently mouthed 'later' which seemed to pacify her for a short while. Winky had a huge breakfast ready for everyone. Once every one had finished eating, Harry enquired if everyone had a good nights sleep.

"Harry, how did you know that we were in danger?" Daphne asked.

"Before I answer that, did any of you do anything to warrant such special attention by Voldemort?" As expected there were several gasps at hearing the word. "Oh come on, there is no need to fear a name. It is just a made up name. If you don't want to call him Voldemort, call him Tom or Riddle. For Tom Morvalo Riddle is his real name."

Daphne was the first to answer, "My mom and I refused to join the Death Eaters. Mom worked as a healer and potions mistress at St. Mungos."

Luna was next to answer, "Daddy and I wrote that article in the Quibbler about the Battle at the Department of Mysteries"

Madame Bones said, "I applied for guardianship of Daphne and I have been leading an Anti-Fudge campaign at the ministry. I guess having the bumbling Fudge as the minister is beneficial to Vol..Voldemort"

Susan replied smugly, "I have no idea what I did to the Dork Lord". Harry sniggered at the moniker.

Harry then explained to Hermione, "Last night I was lying in bed when I had another vision and my scar hurt a lot. Thanks to Dobby, the pain receeded and I could send both Dobby and Winky to bring everyone here. Don't ask me yet where 'here' is. Tom was angry that the connection with me suddenly became very faint late evening. I have an idea as to what did that. So he ordered raids on the Bones residence and the Lovegoods home."

"What do you mean by connection and scar pain Harry?" Madame Bones enquired.

"To answer that I will need a wizards/witches oath that you will not discuss what I tell you today"

After receiving all their oaths, Harry and Hermione proceeded to tell everyone the life of Harry Potter. They explained about the Marauders, Lily Evans how they got together, their arch rival Severus Snape, the prophecy, how Snape defected to Dumbledore's side, Pettigrew's betrayal, Lily and James Potters sacrifice, how Dumbledore, McGonagall and Hagrid dropped 15-month old Harry off at Privet Drive at his magic-hating relatives.

They then explained Harry's life in the cupboard under the stairs, Dudley's bullying at school, accidental magic, getting his Hogwarts letter, Hagrid giving him his first birthday cake, meeting the Weasleys at Kings Cross Station, meeting Hermione, Troll in the girls bathroom, meeting Voldemort's spirit in the forbidden forest feasting on Unicorn blood, being thrown off the broom, rescuing the philosopher's stone, Dobby's warnings, flying to Hogwarts, Trip into the forbidden forest to meet Aragog, petrifications, heir of Slytherin, speaking Parseltongue, rescuing Ginny from the Chamber of Secrets, slaying a 60-foot basilisk, freeing Dobby, back at Privet drive, being locked up, and blowing up Aunt Marge.

The next years had Meeting Sirius Black, Learning the Patronus Charm, Rescuing Sirius and Buckbeak, Visit to Quidditch World Cup, forced to participate in the Triwizard tournament, First, Second and Third Tasks, portkey to Voldemort's resurrection, Killing of Cedric Diggory, Dueling Voldemort and escaping, fighting Dementors at Privet Drive, attending the trial for underage magic, Umbridge and the Dumbledore's Army, Using blood quills during detention, visions from Voldemort, saving Arthur Weasley, Snape's mind-rape sessions instead of Occlumency lessons, Umbridge's entrapment in the forbidden forest, rush to the Department of Mysteries, fighting with death eaters, Sirius falling into the Veil, Harry's use of the Cruciatus curse, battling Voldemort, Dumbledore to the rescue, Voldemort's possession of Harry, Back to headmasters office and hearing the prophecy, Headmaster again insisting isolation of Harry and carting him off to Privet Drive, Harry's plan to set his life in order till now.

By the time Harry and Hermione were done, not a single person was tear free. There were many points of time when each looked angry at the sequence of events that took place. "Harry, I am sorry that you had to go through all that in life. I would love to help you sort through some of the obstacles you have faced and will face in the future. If there is anything specific you want me to do, please let me know. But first let me thank you for saving our lives. By the time Dobby came, they had already set up anti-apparition and anti-portkey wards. The floo was down and there were even anti-broomstick wards. Just before we left, we heard them break through our front door. And all this while, I was wondering what happened to the Aurors who were supposed to save their boss?"

"Madame Bones, it is Dobby you should be thankful for. I was just a messenger. Where is Dobby by the way? I haven't seen him since yesterday."

Harry heard a telltale crack of Dobby apparating in. He was fidgeting and looked nervous. "Master, Dobby disobeyed Master. Dobby must punish himself. Please give Dobby permission."

"Nonsense Dobby! What did you do?" Harry was curious.

"Master ordered Dobby not to try to save Master's life! But Dobby saved Master last night. Dobby blocked master's connection with bad wizard and saved Master."

"Dobby, forget about the punishment and forget about that order too. Do you really know what is wrong with my scar? How did you stop the pain?" Harry was intrigued.

"Bad Wizard created a connection with master by putting part of his soul into master. Elves can see the connection and it is the darkest of black!" Dobby said. There were a lot of gasps at the table on hearing this proclamation.

"So that is how Voldemort has been sending me those visions!" Harry sighed accepting the inevitable a little too quickly. "So Dobby! Does that mean that you can see all the connections I have with others? How about the connection I have with Hermione or Daphne?"

"Yes Harry Potter Sir. The connection between youself and Miss Hermy is based on love, loyalty and friendship. The connection between youself and Miss Greeny is that of a life-debt and friendship. You have at least two more life-debt bonds but one of them is tinged with jealousy. Dobby does not know what that means."

"Amazing Harry, you officially know more about Elves than any wizard alive today." Hermione smiled. "Dobby, do you know how to remove the dark connection with the bad wizard?"

"Dobby not good at Elven rituals. Dobby asks Winky about it"

Winky appeared into the dining room with a faint pop. "Master, Winky knows a ritual that will help remove the dark connection. But Winky not know if Master likes the ritual."

"Why don't you tell us more about the ritual Winky?" Hermione asked while pulling out her notepad and pen.

"The love-based ritual is based on the power of 3 and power of 7. The ritual is known as 7-soul ritual. The ritual requires 1 male Elf, 1 male Goblin and 1 male wizard i.e. Master using the power of 3. The ritual also requires 4 unwed witches. All 7 of them are soul bonded to replace the dark connection. Bad wizard did not die because Master's connection acted as an anchor and thus did not pass onto afterlife. Both Elven and Goblin magic will need to be used during the ritual."

"Winky, is this bonding temporary or permanent?" Hermione enquired.

"The bonding between Elf, Goblin and Wizard can easily be broken, but should not be broken until Master's magic and soul have stabilized and matured. The bad wizard has been stealing Master's magic through the connection. The bonding between witches and Master can also be broken but will lead to some magic loss and a few years of Master's life. This too should not be broken before masters magic has stabilized."

"Wait! Soul-bonding, doesn't that mean being married? I thought those cannot be broken. Is multiple soul-bonding even allowed legally?" Harry was panicking by now.

"Relax Harry. Polygamous relationships are not illegal in the wizarding world. Since soul-bonding is considered the purest form of marriage, multiple soul-bonds is also legal. I know, we still live in the dark ages." Madame Bones explained. "I have heard of spontaneous soul-bonds, but have never heard of any ritual to create soul-bonds."

"Forget it! I am not allowing a witch, let alone 4 to get close to me. Anyone who gets closer gets killed. You have all heard it. I might as well die, so that Voldemort may become mortal." Harry said.

"Harry, let us not be hasty here!" Hermione said with various expressions on her face. "I believe that Dumbledore knew about this soul connection between you and Voldemort. Now it makes perfect sense as to why he did not train you. He has been honing you as a perfect little weapon that he will let loose over Voldemort and when Voldemort kills you he becomes mortal. If this is true, it surely explains a lot of discrepancies. He is only interested in keeping you from going dark and joining Voldemort. We really need to remove this connection you have. Since it is possible for the soul-bonding to be reversed later, I volunteer as one of the witches. It doesn't have to mean that I am marrying you, but more like bonding my soul with yours. Once the war is over, we can always reassess our relationship. I trust you Harry, so I want to do it."

"Hermione, don't be ridiculous! I will not allow you to put your life in danger! Who knows, the ritual itself might be dangerous. What if we are not able to remove the soul-bond later?"

Before Hermione could respond, she was interrupted by Luna and what she said increased the smirk on Hermione's face. "I agree with Hermione. Daddy, do you have a problem if I volunteer too?" Luna asked her father. "No darling, I have no problems. Your mother would have been very proud. Once the war is over, maybe you can research soul-bonding and write a book."

Harry gaped at Luna's father as if he had lost his marbles.

"Auntie, if you don't mind, I would like to volunteer too", Susan asked Madam Bones. She was followed by Daphne "I would like to do my part in getting rid of the monster that killed both my parents. Auntie, could you give me permission too?"

"Harry, is it too late to ask if you have been given 'the talk'?" Madame Bones joked. "I think I agree with Hermione that this connection needs to be broken. We can't have Harry anchoring Riddle on this plane of existence. So I will give you both girls permission."

"BLOODY MAD YOU ALL ARE! HAVE YOU ALL LOST YOUR MIND? DO YOU KNOW WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HERE? You are talking about soul-bonding which is more purer than getting married! What happens when one of you falls in love with someone else? What happens when all four of you start fighting amongst each other? What about when the soul-bonds can't be broken. Remember, it is me you are bonding with, and the impossible seems to happen to me! I know there will always be a glitch in the plans when you put me into the equation."

"Harry, we have all thought about it and from each of our perspectives, this solution seems acceptable to us. If the bonding can't be broken, we will continue to be bonded to you. You are a decent guy and you have never known to be cruel. Moreover with Voldemort, out of your head, we all expect to see a more cheery personality develop in you. If it doesnt, we will develop it." Hermione giggled.

Harry glared at Hermione in Anger. He still could not believe what he was hearing. "There has to be another way! I wont let you all get into danger. When the word gets out, I will be painting a target on all your backs."

Hermione decided to cut Harry midway off in his rant. She fully expected him to push them away so that they would be safer. But she also realized that this needed to be done. "Harry! Do you want to get rid of Voldemort or not?"

Harry spluttered mid-rant at the question. "How can you ask me that Hermione? Of course I want the Dark Tosser dead!"

"Then, you agree that the dark connection needs to be broken. And the ritual is the only way we know to do that." Hermione said with a triumphant expression on her face on winning the argument. Harry looked at Winky for confirmation and she nodded.

Luna's father spoke up. "Son, the secret to a good life is to know when you have been outclassed. Accept it and move on."

_'Merlin, why does this always happen to me?'_ Harry sighed. "I will only agree if we classify our relationship as friendship and our bonding be kept secret. I am not marrying you folks. Not that there is anything wrong with any of you. Each of you is beautiful, loving and smart in your own way. I just feel that you should marry for love. So I am not going to indulge in any carnal activities with any of you just because we are soul-bonded. Our relationship shall be revisited when the war is over or when my magic and soul reaches maturity, which ever is earlier. Do you all agree?"

Daphne spoke up. "Harry, this sort of arrangement is nothing new to us pure-blood witches where in a marriage is arranged. I agree with you. I would like time to get to know you before we agree to break the bond. I am willing to wait."

Hermione nodded and added, "Harry, I expected this from you. We all love you, but we are not in love with you. What you propose makes perfect sense!"

"Wait, aren't you going to propose to us in the proper way? No going down on one knee?" Susan joked.

_'Merlin! What have I gotten myself into?'_ Harry groaned. "Ladies, remember soul-bonding, not marriage! We still need to find a male Elf and a male Goblin to help us."

"Dobby likes to help Master, if Master agrees"

"Dobby? really? would you do that for me?" Harry was surprised.

"Of course Master! Dobby is Harry's friend too."

"Now, I can't argue against that kind of logic, can I? Now we need to find a Goblin who can help us" Harry turned to the two elders in the room and asked, "Madame Bones and Mr. Lovegood, would it be alright if these lovely ladies stayed here for a few days? In fact, if they wished to, could they stay the rest of summer here? I promise that nothing hanky-panky will ever go on here."

"Harry, please call me Amelia. Or you may also call me mom." Madame Bones joked. "These witches trust you enough to agree to a soul-bonding. I am not going to be an overprotective aunt. I trust them enough to make the right decisions. You have my permission."

"I agree too son, you may call me Odd. I fully trust Luna. I am glad she is gaining three sisters."

Both the adults took their leave and left for work. In the meantime, Harry eaves dropped on the conversation amongst the four witches.

"Who would have thought?" Daphne said, "A Slytherin, a Ravenclaw, a Hufflepuff and a Gryffindor?"

"You are right", added Susan "Black Hair, Blonde Hair, Red Hair and Brown Hair!"

"I got one", said Luna with her dreamy expression. "A pureblood, a mixed-breed, a half-blood and a muggle-born! I have fairy blood in me." Luna confessed

"I got a better one!" Harry joined the conversation. "Ice Queen, Loony, Giggly Ditz and a Bossy know-it-all!"

"HARRY JAMES POTTER" cried all four witches, red in their face. "How could you!"

"I am sorry! I didn't mean it as an insult. I just wanted to point out that we all are different and it is better if we spend time on looking at our similarities rather than our differences. I for one have an abused background with hardly any understanding of both the muggle and wizarding world. Each of us come from a different background and different experiences. I think it is time for us to understand each other and more importantly, learn about ourselves from this experience."

"For example, I would like to know why Hermione has such a dogmatic loyalty towards authority, why Luna says the sanest thing in the most insane way, why Susan is always the hyperactive optimist, and why Daphne has only one true friend i.e. Tracy Davis till now. Let us see the positives from each and try to emulate them and work on our perceived negative traits."

"But you are right! I did insult you all and I wish for my punishment to be a Barbie doll for your ladies. Will you please help me buy a whole new wardrobe of clothes, both muggle and wizarding? I have never had a decent set of clothes that would fit me till date and have always had my overly-large whale of a cousins clothes thrust on me. Would you please forgive me?" Harry made his best puppy dog face.

"SHOPPING!!! Yippieeee!" The reaction was unanimous.

"Hermione, I have asked Dobby to request a meeting at Gringotts tomorrow. Could you please arrange for your parents to have dinner with us tonight?"

"You are right Harry! Let me call them right away."

"In the meantime, Winky, could you do some furniture shopping please? Will you be able to manage that? I really appreciate your artistic style. Make sure you ask the ladies if they had anything specific in mind for their rooms."

"Don't worry Harry Potter Sir, Winky glamours as a muggle and do the shopping. I have asked Dobby to bring us both a muggle credit card and Gringotts money pouch when he comes back from Gringotts."

"Excellent Winky! Thank you."

_'What was I thinking? Shopping with four women!'_ Harry mused. "Merlin, I am so tired that I could sleep on my feet, except that my feet are killing me."

The shopping according to the four witches was a resounding success. They got Harry to try on every kind of clothing available: jeans, shorts, T-shirts, Polos, formal pants and shirts, jackets, muggle suits, pajamas and even undergarments. Harry refused to model in his undergarments. Then they moved to the other sections of the store and bought him 7 pairs of shoes, 5 belts, 3 caps, and three watches. They also bought him a pair of cool sun glasses.

When they insisted that Harry visit the hair stylist, Harry agreed to it only if each of them shop for an entire wardrobe for themselves so that the could be comfortable. After a little coaxing, they all agreed to his plan and didn't see the witches for another 4 hours. Having done with hair stylists appointment, Harry found a cozy corner of the store and tried to sleep. Each of the witches insisted on him waiting outside the changing room so that they could model their clothes for his approval. Susan, Daphne and Hermione helped Luna pick her clothes while Hermione and Susan gave the other girls tips on muggle make up and hair and beauty products. All in all, after settling the insanely large bill, Harry called Dobby to transport them all to 'The Den'.

When Harry reached home, he was surprised to find that the whole place had been impeccably furnished. The living room now housed comfortable sofa sets with light-brown colored leather upholstery, neatly arranged around a central table. On the wall next to the fireplace was a large 48-inch flat screen television. Harry walked into kitchen to find it fully furnished too. The guest bedrooms and the master bedroom were tastefully decorated and furnished. _'This is amazing! Elves are definitely the most efficient creatures on this earth!'_

Hermione brought him out of his reverie when she said, "Harry, do you mind if you are not present while we girls talk to my parents?"

"Sure Mia! I am too tired anyway. I will grab a sandwich fast and head to bed."

While Harry was fast asleep in the master suite, the girls settled themselves in the library. Each of them contemplated on what they had volunteered to do and took this downtime to introspect on their lives.

"So Hermione, I know you want to help out Harry. But don't you have a crush on Ron? Why are you doing this?" Susan enquired.

"Good questions Susan. I will have to tell you all about my life. Since we are all here in the same boat, can we all take a witches oath that we are doing this out of free will to help Harry defeat Voldemort and not solely for any personal gains. I know we all agreed because each of us has to gain from this bonding. If we can reaffirm it in the oath to never betray Harry and promise to work together productively rather than fighting amongst us that would be wonderful. What do you all say?"

"Always looking out for Harry! I wonder what he would have done without you all these years", Susan laughed. "I agree that we should take a magically binding oath to that effect. Do you mind if I take a crack at the wording of the oath? I have had many discussions with my Auntie finding loopholes around oaths and I would like this oath to be tamper-proof."

Fifteen minutes later, all four witches had taken their oath. "Susan, I am amazed. Are you sure you are not a lawyer in training?" Hermione complimented Susan. "That oath was the most comprehensive one I have ever taken. Thank you for helping Harry. I like the fact that we all can trust each other implicitly with anything forever. I hope we all become great friends."

"To answer your earlier question Susan..." Hermione took a deep sigh before she continued. "When I was a child, I had always known that I was different. I could remember things I learnt from books much better than my peers. It was no wonder that I did well in class. Unfortunately, this success came at a huge price. No one wanted to be friends with me. I guess I protected myself by shunning those who shunned me, thus creating the bossy know-it-all persona, when on the inside, I always craved to have a normal happy childhood sharing it with friends. "

"Harry was the first real friend I have ever had. I had to work on Ron. If you analyze his friendship with Harry, he might be a symbiont, but with me, I think he has always been a classic parasite. Over the last couple of weeks, I have had a lot of time to rethink my life and I realized that I might have been under compulsion charms or potions. Or maybe I have just been plain stupid. Ron is everything that I should hate in a boyfriend. I don't know if I like Harry in the same way, but I have always found his friendship to be a security blanket. He helps me push myself to excel better than anyone I have met. I don't think I can live with not having Harry in my life. I guess it is one reason why I never entertained thoughts about dating him and messing up my friendship with him. He sure has his faults, but even he agrees that those can be worked on."

"This arrangement will help us both understand each other better. As I said, I love him, but am not in love with him. If at the end, he wants to continue, that will be wonderful. If not, I will always be his best friend. In fact I would like to see him to meet a girl and fall madly in love with her. If that is one of you, I promise to be supportive."

Daphne was the first to react. "You are right Hermione. We have always known that you loved Harry. Whether you are in love with him or not, it is up to you and Harry to decide. If it is you, you will surely have my support." Daphne continued, "The characteristic that makes a Slytherin is not cunning or ambition, but that we are willing to do things for self-preservation. I volunteered for the bonding, because I want to live. There is no way I will be alive without choosing a side."

"My father was an unmarked death-eater. Yes, everyone believes that the Greengrass family is neutral. But that is only because of my parents' marriage vows. He was the epitome of a bigot. He believed that women were made to be used by men. My mother, in her naiveté, a family trait of the Bones family, wanted to reform her man. How wrong she was! Susan's dad, i.e. my mother's brother, killed my father in an honor duel when he found out that my father had been abusing my mother. Riddle's minions killed Susan's parents for it. My father has put me under several gaes that forced my life to be friendless. He viewed me as his property that he would use for his profit in the future. These gaes are the reason for my reputation as the ice-queen as they forced me to have very few friends. The gaes can only be broken by bonding with my betrothed who has been approved by my guardian. Now you know why I have only had two friends, Susan and Tracy."

"So what do you plan to do when Harry's magic matures?" Hermione enquired.

"I don't know. I haven't thought about it. I plan to have a job when I graduate so that I can support myself. If Harry wants the bond to be broken, I would be okay with it I suppose as I will have the freedom to choose who I want to spend my life with. This freedom will be more valuable to me than anything else that Harry has to offer."

"How come you never told me about these chastity enchantments cousin? I always assumed that you liked women better." Susan joked watching Daphne blush. "What about you Luna? Why did you volunteer?"

"The answer is pretty simple really! Harry is my ONLY friend. I have come to terms that I will always be odd. The only person who has never called or considered me Loony, was Harry. While growing up, I have had a crush on Ron, who you know is my neighbor. But I realized what a pig he has grown up to be, no offense Hermione. Harry sees me as a good friend, he helped me when others bullied me. I don't see Harry falling in love with me, for that matter, anyone falling in love with me. So if I can help him out, while I can, I will be glad to do it. Look what it gains me, three sisters, more than anything I could have asked for."

"Luna, thats such a negative attitude. We are going to help you. Who says no one will fall in love with you. One can never predict such things." Susan, the ever optimistic girl replied for the rest of the girls.

"Well, I guess that leaves me." Susan continued. "Hmm... I want to be taken seriously in life. As Daphne said, I lost my parents when I was pretty young and my aunt raised me. I was always coddled and I have absolutely no experience with dealing with the world. So I usually live in a made-up world with me as the center of the universe. I have never taken a shot at love, as I have been afraid that I would get hurt like Daphne's mom did. My friends, Hannah and Ernie like each other. Justin swings the other way, which is funny, because many tried to link us both romantically. If I can help Harry change the way men look at women in our society, I would be very happy."

"Moreover, this will be a great way to get a practice at life being married, without actually being married. I will get to make adult decisions and I really think I will need a lot of help which I am sure I will get from you three. Maybe others don't take me seriously as I have never proved myself to me. This arrangement will surely help. I hope to fall in love and be happy in life. So if Harry and I both are not in love with each other, then I wont mind if we break the bond later."

"Wow! The four of us, so different, yet so similar." Hermione said. "Luna, I would like to apologize for my past behavior with you. Though I have never thought that you were loony, I have had problems accepting things that I did not believe were rational. I have been pretty standoffish with such beliefs. I will try to improve myself in the future. Who knows, maybe we will find them crumpled horned snorkacks and prove to the world that you are right."

"That's alright Hermione. There is nothing to apologize for. My behavior has always been a little odd. By the way, we have all talked about love, does Harry know what love is?" All eyes turned towards Hermione.

"Why do you consider me to be a Harry expert?" Hermione laughed. She sighed before continuing, "There is so much that boy doesn't know. He confessed to me last year that Sirius was the first person to ever tell him the words 'I love you'. He has never had a birthday party. The first Christmas presents that he received were in first year Hogwarts. The first hug he ever received was from me, end of second year. Believe me when I say that Harry has a lot to learn and all I ask from you is... Please, please don't break his heart!" Tears were freely flowing from Hermione's eyes. "I doubt he has any idea of what a soul-bonding entails. Poor guy! imagine having to live with always knowing the emotions of not one, but four women. This is going to be hilarious." She laughed through her tears.

That brought some laughter in the group and each solemnly pledged to themselves that they would never make Harry's life worse than it has been.

Harry woke up the next morning feeling extremely refreshed. He wondered if one of the house Elves had added anything to his food and drink. Today was going to be a very important day. Provided Hermione's parents agreed, he was going to be soul-bonded today. He wondered what it would have been like to have actually fall in love with someone and wake up knowing that you would get married that day. He realized what the girls must be giving up to go through the ritual. All their romantic dreams that girls usually have of falling deeply in love and marrying their prince charming were squashed yesterday. He vowed that he would ensure that he would keep all of them as happy as he can.

As he walked into the dining room, he realized that there were two more guests in the room. As soon as he entered the room, all the conversation in the room died and the silence sounded aminous. Mr. Granger motioned to Harry to join him at the table.

"Harry, we had a very interesting conversation yesterday night with our daughter and she informed us that she was marrying you today." Mr. Granger said with a raised eyebrow.

Harry couldn't help but start sweating. "Sir, it is actually a soul-bonding, which can be much worse than a marriage. This soul-bonding can not be broken easily like a marriage. There is no divorce in a soul-bonding. However, soul-bonding can be broken, but at a very significan't cost such as loss of magic or life years, which I assure you, I am ready to pay if need arises."

"So what are your intentions towards our daughter?"

"Sir, I promise that I wont do anything that your daughter will not want to do. I have already promised the others that there shall be no physical aspect to our relationship. Any such decision will be taken when my magic matures which should be in a year or two from now. I care for your daughter very much and I promise that I will never break her heart."

"So Harry, you are getting married to my daughter today and you have to gall to promise not to consummate your relationship? Isn't that unfair to her? Are you gay?"

"DAD!! STOP IT! Enough of you games!" The whole room burst out in laughter seeing Harry's expression.

"It's alright Harry, I was kidding! We are very proud of our daughter. We support her in any decision she makes. All we ask is that we be kept in the loop. We have faith in you to be honorable towards your relationships with these ladies. Treat them fairly and you will be the happiest man on this earth. You are much better than that Weasley bloke anyway. Come on, lets have breakfast and head to Gringotts. Big day today."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 05: Bonds Created and Destroyed**

"Let me get this straight, Mr. Potter. You wish to undergo the 7-soul ritual with these four witches and Dobby, the Elf. You wish to have a Goblin as part of this ritual." Ragnok, the chief of all Goblin tribes in Europe asked, "Why a Goblin? Why not a familiar like a snake? I heard that you can speak to them. Wizards don't usually like us Goblins."

"Mr. Ragnok" started Harry, which earned a sharp intake of breath from all the Goblins, Elves and humans alike. Knowing that Harry had committed a faux pas, Harry continued, "I am sorry if I have not addressed you according to the acceptable etiquette. I have had a very isolated life and I hardly know anything about the magical or even the muggle world. My relatives hate me and my BELOVED headmaster in all his grandfatherly wisdom, wants me to be kept ignorant of almost everything other than what he tells me. I did not even know my own name until I started muggle school, which was required as per muggle law. I have nothing against any magical races, Goblins, Elves, werewolves, giants, vampires, centaurs etc. I do have a problem with Dementors as they tried to suck out my godfather's soul."

"Otherwise, every race has its share of good and bad people. Take wizards for example. There is the side that wants to oppress all other magical races, the ministry included among them, and there are these few individuals who strive to bring about harmony among them. My goal is not to force anyone to become equals with others, but to bring about harmony amongst species. The centaurs would certainly laugh at the idea if I propose that centaurs and wizards would be equal. So... why trust Goblins? you have never given me a reason to distrust you. I see you as a very honorable race, bound by your law. You abhor stealing, so I don't see you working against me. If I can compensate your time and the Goblin who will help me, I will surely do so. If I don't have enough money in my vault for that, maybe I can work with Gringotts in the future and help clear off my debt to you. I do not ask you to choose sides in this wizards war, but I request you to please help me defeat Lord Voldemort by breaking this connection I share with him."

"Mr. Potter, it is obvious that you have no idea of wizarding etiquette but you are an honorable man. Gringotts will perform the ritual for you free of cost, an honor that has not been extended in many centuries now. We however ask that you become our Goblin friend and help improve harmony with other magical races. We also expect you and your bond-mates to maintain Gringotts privacy, for you will learn a lot about Goblins and Gringotts by bonding with a Goblin. Are you okay with this so far, Mr. Potter?"

"Yes Sir, please call me Harry. What about compensation for the Goblin involved?"

"Of course Harry! Please call me Ragnok. You may have to compensate the Goblin. The going rate for such a ritual would usually be a million galleons for a 10-year bond. But you should not have a problem with that kind of money. Though the Goblin may choose not to accept the payment as it is considered a very great honor to be bonded with a Goblin-friend."

Again, Harry heard sharp intakes of breath and wondered if being able to afford a million galleons was a rarity in the wizarding world. Surely it must be a pittance for the Malfoys.

"Ragnok, please pardon me if I seem too straight forward. I would prefer Griphook for the ritual provided he is okay with the arrangement. He is the Goblin I have known the longest and he has been very friendly towards me. I would definitely want to pay him for his services. Also, I would want to take this opportunity to really learn about the Goblin race. All I heard about Goblins was, am sure a biased version, about Goblin revolutions in Professor Binns' classes. I still don't understand why they let him teach." Harry mused.

"Mr. Potter, I would be honored to take part in the ritual", Griphook volunteered.

"Thank you Griphook, please call me Harry."

"Harry, in the interest of time lets plan this out. How about we start the ceremony right away? It will take about an hour for the preparations. I will be present to ensure that everything goes well. Please follow Ripenclaw into the ritual chamber. We can talk about other things later tomorrow." An elderly Goblin, Ripenclaw, came forward and indicated the party towards a door.

When Harry, the four witches, two Elves, two muggles and Griphook entered the ritual chamber, Harry was surprised at what he saw. The whole room seemed to have been created out of one really huge black rock. There were many Goblin, Elf and wizard runes etched around the room. The most shocking surprise was what looked like the Nazi symbol on the floor in the center of the room.

Hermione commented seeing the perplexed look on Harry's face. "Harry, that symbol is an ancient Indian rune called 'the swastika' which symbolizes harmony and prosperity. The Nazis have bastardized the symbol and used a laterally inverted image of the swastika signifying the opposite of harmony. Unfortunately most westerners only associate this symbol with the Nazis when they see the swastika. Sad, really!"

The Goblins then shooed them each through a different door out of the ritual room, that lead to a ritual bath. The temperature of the ebullient was slightly warmer than comfortable. As soon as Harry stepped into the bath, a sponge started magically cleansing him thoroughly. Harry was surprised to note that as his bath progressed, the ebullient in the bath changed colors. While initially it was the earth colored, it changed to green, red, orange, yellow, blue before finally becoming clear which Harry presumed to be water.

After a thorough bath, Harry dressed himself in the Goblin ritual robes and walked into the main ritual chamber. Harry found the others dressed in similar robes and wondered if they had to go through a similar bath. The Goblins and Elves started chanting in Goblin and Elven languages. The chanting was very rhythmic with a crescendo and a decrescendo. After 7 such cycles, the lead Goblin, Ripenclaw, lead Harry first towards Dobby. Without realizing what he was doing and not knowing that he was speaking in Elven language, he went down on his knees in front of Dobby gave him a hug and said, "With this hug, I thank you Brother Dobby for your gift. I promise to work towards the improvement of the Elven race as a token of my gratitude." There was a flare of magic which surrounded Harry and Dobby as an earthen dome.

Ripenclaw then lead Harry towards Griphook. Harry went down on one knee, held out his right hand and gripped Griphook's right forearm in a traditional Goblin handshake, while Griphook did the same. He said in gobbledygook, "With this Goblin handshake, I thank you Brother Griphook and I accept your gift! I promise to be a good Goblin friend, improve the life of the Goblins and help increase profits." There was another flare of green colored magic which surrounded them.

Ripenclaw then lead Harry towards Hermione. Harry walked towards Hermione and said in English, "With this kiss, I solemnly swear to you that I shall ensure your happiness forever. I shall be there for you, the way you have always been there for me. Thank you Hermione, I accept your gift." Harry gave Hermione a soul-warming kiss on her lips and there was a flare of red magic that engulfed them.

Once the flare subsided, Ripenclaw lead Harry towards Luna. Harry walked up to her and said in the Fay language, "Luna, you have always been a great friend to me. You say it like you see it. With this kiss, I solemnly swear that you shall forever have a friend in me. I shall make sure that you will never feel unloved. Thank you for your gift, I accept it!" Harry proceeded to give Luna a kiss on her lips. As he deepened the kiss, there was a flare of orange magic that surrounded them.

Ripenclaw then lead Harry towards Susan. Harry told her in French, "Susan, you are the happiest person I know. I promise to keep you as happy as you have always been, if not more. I also promise to be happy and a better company. Please let my kiss show you how much I appreciate and accept your gift." Harry held Susan in his arms and gave her a mind-numbing kiss. There was soon a flare of yellow magic that surrounded the kissing couple.

Ripenclaw then lead Harry towards Daphne. Harry walked up to her and spoke to her in Latin. "Daphne, we have hardly known each other till now. I promise to get to know you better and also promise to ensure your safety and happiness. Please feel free to ask me for anything and within reason, I promise to help you get it. With my kiss, I appreciate and accept your gift!" Harry cupped Daphne's face with his hands and proceeded to give her a deep kiss. There was a flare of blue magic that surrounded the couple.

Ripenclaw then lead Harry towards the center of the room. Harry observed that the four witches, Dobby and Griphook were now lying down on thin floating mattresses with three bands holding them down. Harry walked to the center of the ritual chamber and stood on the swastika rune and chanted in Parseltongue, "With the gifts provided to me with love by my six friends, I cast thee, Thomas Morvalo Riddle, out of my soul."

As soon as Harry finished chanting in Parseltongue, he drank from the cup that was floating in front of him. Harry would later find out that cup contained three drops of blood from each of the participants of the ritual. He suddenly felt a severe pain and ripping feeling in his forehead, which was much worse than the Cruciatus curse and felt himself falling. But Harry never reached the ground as he began floating in the air. In his pain, Harry failed to notice that four witches were positioned in the North, East, South and West directions around him and the Goblin and Elf were above and below him. There was a huge flare of white colored magic that surrounded all the participants and the six started revolving around Harry at high speed. A few minutes later, the flare of magic subsided and all seven participants returned to the floor. All of them had passed out due to magical exhaustion. Not many people noticed a screaming black mass being expelled from Harry's scar as the huge flare of white magic engulfed all the participants of the ritual.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 06: Know Thyself**

Harry woke up many hours later to find himself in bed in his master bedroom at The Den. He felt multiple warm bodies around him. He found Hermione's head on his right shoulder and her arm across his neck. A little lower on the right hand side, he found Luna with her head on his abdomen, hugging his lower right half of the body. In a similar position on the left hand side, he found Susan. He found Daphne with her head over his left shoulder, but hugging his left upper limb.

The memories of the ritual flashed across his mind, when he suddenly realized that he felt great! There was no longer the feeling of impending doom that he had felt through out his life. He tried to feel for his scar, but he realized that he would not be able to move in his current condition. _'This feels great! This feels like Heaven!'_ he thought, the excitement of not having a part of Voldemort in his soul building up.

"What feels like Heaven, Harry? And don't shout! Its too early in the morning." Hermione mumbled. Her lips were next to his right ear, her breath tickling him.

"Its awesome Hermione! The feeling. I feel so pure. I can no longer feel the dark aspect of my soul. I feel free! Hey, what do you mean, no shouting? I was not shouting!"

"Of course you were shouting! see, now you said _'What is she talking about?'_ in a pretty loud voice" Hermione woke up as she realized that Harry was going into a panic mode. "Relax, Harry. "

_'Mia, can you hear me?'_ Harry asked in his mind.

"Of course Harry! What kind of question is that?"

_'Mia, that is because I was not speaking out loud. I was just thinking the question! Oh Merlin! Why do things always go wrong with me? Will I hear everyone's thoughts too? What about memories? That is going to be a mess.'_

"It is alright Harry! We will work it out. How come I am in such a cozy position in your bed?" Hermione quipped.

"I have no idea. I passed out during the ritual and the next thing I know, I am sandwiched by four beautiful ladies. A guy could get used to this!"

"Wow Harry! I can't believe you are not shy about this. I like the new you!" Hermione rolled onto her back. "So what's the plan for today? I would hate to get out of bed today."

"No idea! I guess I am supposed to meet Ragnok, Dobby and Griphook. By the way, what was with all the inhaling noises yesterday?"

"Harry, you are such a dunderhead!" Hermione got up and tossed a pillow at Harry. "Do you know WHO Ragnok is? He is the chief of all Goblin races in Europe. He is practically Goblin Royalty and you are on a first name basis with him. Also, do you know how RARE it is to be called a Goblin friend? There have only one or two persons named as a Goblin-friend since Merlin himself."

_'What can I say Mia? Stuff like that happens around me all the time!'_ Harry pouted.

_'Merlin, I am stuck with early risers!'_ Daphne complained. "Good Morning Harry!" She reached over and gave him a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you Harry, I had the best sleep ever last night! I felt complete." Harry stiffened and started blushing, his hand automatically rising to his cheek.

"Harry, you have to get used to us being around and at least a little bit of physical contact." Hermione had caught him blushing. "You can't keep blushing forever. The book I borrowed from Ragnok on soul bonds says that the bond usually takes a few days to stabilize. In most cases, the act of consummation of the marriage takes care of that aspect. But with us, since you promised not to engage in any physical aspect of our bond, I guess we will have to stay close by and probably sleep in the same bed for a few days. You better get used to it Harry, I am going to wear my jammies to bed tonight." Hermione winked at Harry.

"And I am going to wear my flimsy nightgown" Daphne added with a wink of her own.

"I sleep in only my knickers and a T-shirt" Susan snickered.

_'I usually sleep in the nude'_, thought Luna, which was clearly heard by all. This brought out another round of laughter from the witches.

"Too Much Information Folks! You girls are pure EVIL! Anyway, we better get ready before everyone arrives. I don't fancy being caught like this."

An hour later, they were all assembled in the living room at the Den. "Harry, I have some good news and some interesting news. Which one would you prefer to hear first?" Ragnok asked.

Harry groaned. "Interesting news is always bad news when I am concerned. How about I hear the good news first?"

"Very well. The good news is that Winky, in her infinite wisdom, was able to capture the dark lords soul fragment from your scar into an Elven memory orb. You will need to feed it some magic and a few innocuous memories and he will not know the difference between your mind and the memory orb."

"That is wonderful! Thank you Winky! Will I be able to access his mind through the memory orb?"

"Elves do not have use leglimency Harry Potter Sir, but Goblins do. You will have to learn both Elven magic and Goblin magic to read the Bad Wizard's mind", Winky replied.

"Actually, we will be able to help you with that." Ragnok interrupted. "We Goblins have a much faster way to learn things. Mind you, this is a Goblin secret and should be treated as such. In fact, the Goblin council met yesterday night and decided to share with you Harry, our knowledge of Goblin magic, Goblin etiquette and the way Gringotts functions. The learning process is highly regulated and all you have to do is drink a special potion and rest to assimilate the new knowledge. This is how most Goblins learn when they are young."

"We could help you in learning Elven magic in this way if the Elves are okay with that. But the Goblins have two cardinal rules. First, you cannot use Goblin magic in battle without the prior permission of the Goblin council. Second, if you use Goblin magic in your business, Gringotts automatically owns 10% share in it. These are very important rules and their violation could lead to major punishments. If you are okay with this, we will work on the potion which should take a couple of days to be ready." Harry was gob smacked at the offer and could only nod his consent.

"The Elves would like to share their magical knowledge with the great wizard Harry Potter Sir", Winky offered.

"Thank you for the offer, Winky. Could you please add Elven etiquette and your knowledge of both the wizarding and muggle worlds? I really need to learn more about our worlds." Winky nodded.

"Ragnok, every time I talk to you, I am amazed at how much you are bending your universe to help me. What can I do to help the Goblins?"

"That is simple. Be a good Goblin-friend, help Goblins increase/improve their business and earn yourself more gold." Ragnok laughed at Harry's shocked expression. Harry then nodded an affirmative.

"You said something about some interesting news?" Harry enquired.

"Oh yes. It seems your magic was bound when you were a child. Why that was done, I have no idea. But it was unbound during the ritual as were some charms and potions you and some of your bond-mates were bound by. The greatest effect was on Dobby. You will not be able to recognize him."

Dobby then appeared in the room with a soft pop. Dobby had grown in height and was almost 5 feet tall. He looked almost humanoid with perfectly proportional eyes. He even had long brown hair that reached his shoulders. The only thing differentiating him from a wizard was that he had longer pointy ears. Dobby sported the biggest smile Harry had ever seen.

"Harry Potter Sir! Dobby an Elf now. Not house-Elf anymore. Dobby can now draw magic from everywhere like wizards does! Thank you Harry Potter Sir!" Dobby's voice had turned from a squeaky one to a more manly voice.

"Dobby! That is awesome! Does that mean that all house-Elves are under some enchantment? Do you know how to break it?"

"Yes, Harry Potter Sir, all house-elves being under enchantments but Dobby does not know how to break it."

"We will find a way Dobby! We will truely free the house-Elves. Now that you don't need to be bound as a servant to access magic to survive, would you want me to unbind you? You will still be my friend."

"Dobby would like that, Master. But Dobby would still want to work for the great wizard Harry Potter Sir. Dobby can still access Harry Potter Sir's magic through the soul-brother-bond."

"Excellent Dobby! Let us undo the servant binding. _**Congratulations to you Dobby, the free Elf.**_" Harry held Dobby's hand as he said the last words in the Elven language. This resulted in a flare of magic surrounding Harry and Dobby.

Ragnok was surprised that Harry could speak Elven and wanted to test if Harry knew to speak Gobbledygook. _**Harry, tell me. Is there something unusual you noticed with your soul bonds?**_ Ragnok asked in Gobbledygook.

_**Ragnok, Now that you mention it. I am able to access the thoughts of my bond-mates and speak to them in my mind. Is that normal? I haven't tried to speak to Dobby and Griphook yet though.**_ Harry replied in Gobbledygook without realizing it.

"Ah Harry! It seems that the effect of breaking your magical binding is pretty profound. Your soul-bonds are much stronger than expected. It looks like they will be able to access all your memories, knowledge and magic and vice versa. There is also the issue of excess magic that you will suddenly find in your magical core. Until you are able to control it, you will need to bleed off a lot magic in the coming weeks. I suggest finding avenues to use large amounts of magic. DO NOT use offensive magic till you have full control as the results will be catastrophic. Also, DO NOT use your wand as it will explode. Maybe you can request Winky to find more Elven memory/magic orbs to store your excess magic. If you don't do this, I am afraid that your bond-mates will show signs of magical overload as your magic will bleed to them."

Also, your bond-mates will be able to access the Goblin and Elven magic that you will learn. So they will have to to sign a magical binding contract not to disseminate this knowledge of Goblin magic without Gringotts approval. Now that you all are bonded, you are all officially emancipated in the wizarding world. I have ensured that the monitoring orbs for underage magic are turned off for you all, without the ministry being aware that you all have been emancipated." Ragnok continued. Harry and the four witches could only grin and nod their heads.

"In the meantime for peace of your mind Harry, I suggest you all learn some form of wizarding or Elven or Goblin Occlumency. Unless of course you want to be constantly innundated by your bond-mates' thoughts." Ragnok snickered. "I will ask Griphook to teach you. It will be far different from what you have learnt from Severus Snape!" Ragnok winked while Harry groaned.

"Before I leave, I want to discuss with you your heritage and the wills of your godfather and your parents. There have been gross violations of your parents' will that need to be addressed." Seeing the look of confusion on Harry's face, Ragnok continued. "Sirius Orion Black, your godfather named you the major beneficiary of his estate. That means that you inherit close to a million galleons from him and the hereditary seat in the Wizengamot. Yes, the Blacks are known to be as rich as the Malfoys, who are known to be the richest family in the wizarding world."

"I don't understand." Harry enquired. "You said that I could easily afford a million galleons, but you say that the Malfoys are worth about a million galleons. Does not make sense, the numbers don't add up."

"Pretty sharp mind you got there Harry! You caught on much faster than your father and grandfather. Yes, Malfoys are worth about a million galleons and are known to be the richest wizarding family. But in reality, the Potters are by far the richest. Tell me Harry! What do you know about the Potter family? What do you know about yourself?" Ragnok asked.

"Almost nothing actually. My relatives told me that my parents were wastrels and drunks!" Harry spat out. "I later found out that they were of the magical kind. My dad is supposedly from a pureblood family, where as my mother is a muggleborn. But then, Winky called my aunt a squib. So that does not make sense. Other than this, nobody has ever told me anything more about my heritage. I did not even know who I was till I asked my first grade teacher my name."

Ragnok shook his head sadly. "I am sorry Harry. Had I known about your living conditions, I would have personally intervened. I will look into the lineage of Lily Potter nee Evans. But now is the time to know about our Potter Heritage. Tell me Harry, do you know how Gringotts came to be?" Seeing the blank look on Harry's face and the look of excitement on Hermione's face, Ragnok indicated her to speak up.

"Harry, you have to pay attention to the History of Magic lessons." Hermione berated Harry. "Godric Gryffindor was the one who recognized a race similar to the Leprechauns as 'Goblins' and tasked them with managing wizarding finance. This was before the time the ministry of magic was created. The Goblins then diversified from their traditional occupations as warriors, miners and metal forgers to start the first wizarding bank known as Gringotts in Diagon Alley. They later spread all over the world. It is rumored that Rowena Ravenclaw taught the Goblins the basics of accounting and created the first spells to manage a wizarding bank."

"She sure is the smartest witch your age Harry. She is a keeper. What nobody knows is that Godric Gryffindor owns 25% of Gringotts for helping found Gringotts and Rowena Ravenclaw owns 10% for creating the spells for our business. That is the basis for us to insist that any business that uses Goblin magic pay us 10% royalty."

"Well, enough about that. The only son from the late secret marriage of Ravenclaw and Gryffindor, Theodore Ravenclaw Gryffindor wanted to live a life incognito and changed his name to Theodore Anderson Potter and requested Gringotts to keep this fact quiet. Since then the Potters have always kept this fact a secret." There were many sharp intakes of breath at this statement. "So in short, a million galleons is peanuts for you. You are the richest magical and muggle being in the world. You own 35% of the net worth of Gringotts and millions of galleons invested in other wizarding businesses. Your parents did invest in a lot of muggle businesses too, but we were not responsible for them. That was your father's 'full-time hobby' as he used to call it. You should meet your muggle bankers soon."

"Wow! This was unexpected", Harry stammered. He looked around the room to see the gob smacked expressions on everyone's face. "Here I am, wanting a normal life, to realize I am rich and an heir of two founders. I really need to learn more about who I am and my heritage. Although, it kind of makes sense that my aunt thought that my father was unemployed! Ha ha! Imagine that."

Hermione was the first to recover from the shock. "So Harry, now that you have all that money, what are you going to do?"

"We could do more shopping!" joked Susan, which brought out rounds of laughter as Harry groaned.

As the concept of being rich sunk in, Ragnok could see the levers working in Harry's mind. "Ragnok, would it affect my inheritance if I gave a million galleons each to my bond-mates i.e. Griphook and Dobby included, along with a million galleons to Amelia Bones, Xenophilius Lovegood, The Grangers, The Weasleys, Ripenclaw and Winky?"

"Also could you add 10 million galleons each to 1) a Goblin-relief fund, 2) an Elf-relief fund, 3) a lycanthropes relief fund and 4) a wizarding war-relief fund? These funds may be set up and administered by the Goblins. Hermione and I have come up with the names Elf-Life Foundation (E.L.F.) for the Elf-relief fund and Welfare Of Lycanthropes Foundation (W.O.L.F.) for the werewolves. The wizarding fund could probably be named 'Sirius Orion Black Emergency Relief (S.O.B.E.R.) Fund', How about that? He would love it! A SOBER fund!" Harry laughed.

Harry was on a roll, "Maybe it could look like all these monies came from my godfather so that I can remain incognito. You could get Remus Lupin to head W.O.L.F. and Dobby to head E.L.F. But you know what? Let me first run this through my bond-mates before the final decisions of how to run these funds, shall we? I definitely want their input in all this. I intend to change the world for the better with this."

"HARRY! You don't have to pay us anything! We don't need your money", Hermione huffed.

"Relax Mia, you heard him. This money is peanuts in the grand scheme of things. Moreover, I need your help with a lot of our future projects and we are going to make a gob-load of money soon." Harry said with a feral smile on his face. "Looks like the Goblin part of my personality wants me to be financially efficient while the Elven side wants me to serve the society."

"Very noble dreams indeed Harry! And I fully support it. Why not we work out the details sometime next week? The knowledge potions must be ready by then." Ragnok commented. "Now, we need to address the discrepancies in your parents' will."

Harry immediately sobered on hearing this. He nodded to let Ragnok know to continue.

"Harry, your parents' will specifically states that you were supposed to be brought up in the wizarding world. Your godfather, Sirius Black, was the first choice of a guardian, followed by your godmother, Alice Longbottom. If they were both unavailable, then the next option was ANY loving light family with an existing membership in the Order of the Phoenix. You were never to stay with the Drusleys. In fact, your mother specifically stated that she would prefer you being sent to a wizarding orphanage than have you grow up here. The sad part is that Albus Dumbledore was one of the witnesses when their will was made and knew fully well the contents of the will. To his credit, there are no wizarding orphanages, most magical orphans are adopted by their relatives. Those without relatives are sent to muggle orphanages."

"Why am I not surprised?" Harry threw his hands up in the air in exasperation. "I have always wondered why my mother would let me live here knowing about my aunt and uncle. Our dear headmaster had to interfere for the greater good. Ragnok, how much control does he really have over me now?"

"It depends on whether you want to let him know that you have been emancipated or not. He has nominated himself your legal magical guardian and hence has control over everything you do in the magical world as long as you are his ward. Your relatives are your muggle guardians. Dumbledore has access to both your educational trust vault and your parents vault, that he believes is the potter family vault. There is about a million galleons in that vault. He has set up two funds from the interest earned on the money in your parents' vault. One fund pays for the operating expenses of the Order of the Phoenix and the other covers the Hogwarts educational expenses of deserving financially challenged students irrespective of their blood status." Ragnok explained.

"Well, at least he has not actively stolen from me. Provided the Bird Club is not too expensive to maintain, I don't mind it. In fact, I love the idea of funding the education of students. How many students are being funded every year? Do I know any of them?" Harry enquired.

"I am glad you think so." Ragnok agreed. "Other than the fact that Dumbledore has kept you in the dark and forced you to live with your horrid relatives, he has really worked in everyone's best interests. There is a lot more you can do with the kind of resources at your disposal now. Contrary to wizards opinions of Goblins, we Goblins believe that spending money on education, healthcare and improvement of lifestyle, is actually good for business in the longer run. You definitely know many of the recipients of the Lily Evans Educational Fund, all the Weasley children, the Creevey brothers, Katie Bell, Alicia Spinnet, Angelina Johnson, Lee Jordon, Dean Thomas, Eloise Midgen, Natalie McDonald, Su Li, Mandy Brokelhurst, Cho Chang, Hannah Abbott, the Patil twins and Tracy Davis to name a few. We have always had more applicants than we could fund. As we do not advertise the availability of these funds, only those who come to Gringotts requesting a loan, get informed of the Fund. I don't know all the details, but I will ask Griphook to update you on this."

"Ragnok, did my family own any land or houses?" Harry enquired

"The Potters did not believe in owning palatial mansions. They lived in a modest home known as Potter Manor in Godric's Hollow that was destroyed. However, they own a lot of land in the wizarding world including most of the land in Godric's Hollow, the forbidden forest, the woods around the Lovegood residence in Ottery St. Catchpole, rural areas near Devon, Kent, Manchester and Aberdeen. They also own many properties in the muggle world, but we Goblins do not manage any transactions in the muggle world. So you will have to look at the paperwork in your Potter family vault to find more information."

"The Blacks on the other hand own a lot of wizarding businesses and a lot of wizarding properties. Like any typical pureblood family, they hardly have any interactions with the muggle world. I do know that both the Potters and the Blacks own a few islands and a couple of forests around the world. The islands are under familial Fidelius charms and can only be visited by family members. I will have to ask Griphook to look those up and give you more information."

"Thank you Ragnok. I guess I will discuss what I want to do with my family. Would it be possible to read a modified will of my godfather? I mean, I don't want to take away anything Sirius willed to others. But I want to add some money to a few others and set up a few funds. I hope this is not illegal. I know that the well-meaning headmaster will try to stop me from attending it."

"I will see what I can do. Mr. Black set up what we call a living-will which gives his portrait the right to modify his will. Maybe we can discuss with his portrait and then add a couple of paragraphs that relate to the new monies you wish to disburse from your accounts. I will get in touch with you soon. Until then Griphook will update you through your mental connection." Ragnok smiled.

"Talk about instant customer service! I love Gringotts! Thank you very much for all your help Ragnok. I guess my family and I are going to rest now." Ragnok waved his hand and disappeared with a very faint pop.

Harry turned towards Winky and asked, "Is there anything you can do to help us settle our bond? Also my magic feels a little weird. I feel as if I am on a magic-high."

"Master, you have accepted Dobby and Griphook as your brothers. You now have to accept each of these witches as your wife or soul-mate. Otherwise, you will feel tired and your magic is out of control. Spending time in bed with the witches and sharing memories will help. You is not liking the other alternative."

"That is right Winky! No sex without love for me. I refuse to do that. Thank you Winky. Could we have some of your awesome soup before we retire please?"


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 07: When Bullies Get Told Off**

While Harry was meeting with the Goblins and Elves, Dumbledore had called for a meeting of the Order of the Phoenix. They were all assembled in the Headmasters room at Hogwarts that had been expanded to accommodate them. Gathered there were the Weasley parents, Bill Weasley, Fleur Delacour, Nymphadora Tonks, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Remus Lupin, Mundungus Fletcher, Professor Minerva McGonagall, Professor Severus Snape and retired Auror Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody.

Albus Dumbledore cleared his throat and slowly the noise in the room died down. "Welcome to the meeting of the Order of the Phoenix. There are many things we need to discuss today. So let us proceed. Is there anything you all have to report today?" Tonks raised her hand. "Go on Nymphadora."

"It is Tonks, Professor." Tonks bristled at the use of her much-hated first name. "There was an attack on the Bones Residence day before yesterday night. All the Aurors who were supposed to respond received a massive dressing down. According to the report filed, the death eaters had erected anti-apparition, anti-port key and floo jammer wards over her residence. She claimed that there was an anti-broomstick ward too. Just as they crashed the front door, Madam Bones reported that she was able to take both her nieces and escape through an unknown means to a safe house. She reported to work as usual at 9 AM the next day after having breakfast with her nieces."

"Both her nieces? I thought she had only one, Susan Bones", said Remus Lupin.

"Ah! Susan Bones is Amelia's brothers daughter and Daphne Greengrass is Amelia's sisters daughter. Mrs. Greengrass was killed in a death eater raid last week leaving Daphne an orphan. Amelia has applied for Daphne's guardianship a few days ago." Dumbledore explained. "So what is the state of the Bones residence? Would she want the protection of the Order?"

"Madam Bones vehemently shot down my proposal for protection. She said that her aurors must be able to do a better job of protecting their boss rather than some vigilante group. she reitirated that her nieces were safe and she acted pretty cold towards me the rest of the day." Tonks explained.

"Ah! Anybody else?" Dumbledore enquired. Kingsley raised his hand. "Go ahead Kingsley."

"Around the same time as the attack on the Bones residence, the Lovegoods were attacked too." This brought out gasps from the Weasleys. Molly looked about to rant about the poor dear when Kingsley continued. "Mr. Lovegood tried to slip a report on the attack using his old crowd network and I would have missed it had I not been looking into Amelia's report. Apparently the intent wards around their home got triggered and he went into D-day mode. They spread powdered Erumpet horn around their living room and port-keyed out of there. As expected a death eater foolishly tried to use the _Incendio_ charm and it backfired on him. His body was later recovered from the rubble and identified as Marcus Flint, a recent Hogwarts graduate. I did meet Mr. Lovegood in his office yesterday and he denied needing protection by stating that _'the fourth estate was always independent'_, whatever that means."

"Ah! Old Odd! As they say, once a hit wizard, always one," quipped Dumbledore.

"Wait! Mr. Lovegood was a hit wizard? No wonder he always acted weird." Bill Weasley commented.

"Severus, is there anything you wish to report?" Albus asked his spy.

"Day before yesterday evening, I had been summoned by the Dark Lord for some healing potions. Whatever the Potter brat did to him when the Dark Lord possessed him, has left him very drained. The Dark Lord was already ranting about Madam Bones and Odd Lovegood being blood traitors when he suddenly collapsed around 8 PM. He woke up a few hours later ranting about Potter and tortured all those who were in his room and ordered the hit on both the residences. Lucius and I were not allowed to leave his chambers. When the raiding party came back after their failure, the Dark Lord once again tortured those in his room. I left in the morning and came back here to recuperate."

"Ah! I have wondered if that would have happened." The headmaster commented with a twinkle in his eyes. "What do you mean Albus? Is Harry doing okay?" Molly enquired.

"Molly, I received an amusing letter from Harry yesterday. It seems the boy is still angry with me and is not coping well with Sirius' death. Here let me read it out."

_Headmaster,_

_I did what you should have done many years ago! I bought myself some peace at Privet Drive. For just a few galleons, my relatives now treat me as guest and not as their slave. I wish to let you know to keep those bullies, you call my minders, away from my relatives. If your order members undo the progress I have made thus far, I will be forced to encourage my uncle to file for legal action. The Order is not welcome inside 'my home'. And I will stay here the whole summer to recharge the wards as much as possible. I realize that as usual I am cut off from my friends. Is this more of your meddling? I will write to the Order about my well being every four days._

_Harry James Potter_

"The cheek of that brat! How dare he take that disrespectful tone..." Severus Snape sneered.

Molly couldn't stop herself from ranting. "That foolish boy! How much of his inheritance did he squander?"

"Now, now, Severus. Molly, my sources in Gringotts told me that a Bankers Check in GBP equivalent to 15,000 galleons was made in the name of Vernon Drusley, Petunia Drusley and Dudley Drusley. Does anyone have anything else to add to what we know?" Albus enquired with a twinkle in his eye.

"Professor, before Harry left with the Drusleys at Kings Cross station, Moody, Tonks and I had a 'chat' with Harry's uncle telling him that he better treat Harry right. We were very concerned about how dejected Harry looked after losing his godfather." Bill Explained. "Two days ago, I got a tip from Ron that Harry's uncle was going to beat Harry up. So I rushed from Gringotts to Privet Drive and accosted his uncle. Harry, who was in his room came down and diffused the situation. I have never seen him that angry. He called me a bully and asked me to get lost. His uncle too quivered when he saw his nephew that angry. I do not know what happened after that. Apparently, Ginny was in touch with Harry through a two-way communication journal and misinterpreted what Harry said. Harry has not written back to her as of yet."

"Hmm... Who was on guard duty when this happened?" Albus enquired.

"That would be me." Tonks replied. "I saw a very angry Bill march into Privet Drive before I could stop him. I hid behind the bushes to find out what was going on. Two minutes later a very embarrassed Bill walked out and apparated away. I continued watching and saw Hedwig carry a couple of letters away. I waited for an hour before a taxi stopped in front of the house and Hermione frantically ran in. I could not make out what Harry, Hermione and his family discussed, but Hermione left soon after hugging him and muttering something about a peaceful summer. As far as I am aware, nobody else entered Privet Drive."

The headmaster looked around the room with amusement and said, "Something good has come out of this episode. My instruments indicate that the wards around Privet Drive are much stronger now due to the fact that Harry now considers it his home. This is probably why Voldemort", Dumbledore paused watching the shudder in the room, "could not feel Harry through his scar connection and the positive feelings Harry sent him knocked him out. Mind you, Voldemort was already ill, and hence such a drastic reaction. I suggest that we honor Harry's wishes and let him stay there for the summer. If the strength of the wards increases as expected, maybe we can cut down on the number of guard hours."

There was a general silence in the room. Remus then asked, "Headmaster, when can we move into our old headquarters?"

"Ah! Headquarters! There is still the matter of Sirius' will that needs to be addressed. Fleur, do you have an update for me on that?"

Fleur, who had recently started working at Gringotts, said, "The Goblins have been pretty tight lipped about that. They expect the will reading to occur within a couple of weeks. But what is more interesting is that the whole Goblin community was bustling with anticipation. It was almost as if they were awaiting important news that is good for Goblin business. I only hope that the Goblins have not decided to side with you-know-who. I will keep an eye on the goings-on and will report at the next meeting. Crookclaw, the Goblin in-charge of the Potter accounts has not mentioned any activity other than the Bankers Check transaction."

"Well, if there is nothing else, I hereby adjourn this meeting. We shall meet again in two weeks time before Sirius' will reading."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 08: Memories and Wish-lists**

Harry woke up the next morning with a severe headache. He could feel two warm bodies on either side of him which brought a smile to his face. He recalled the various memories he had shared with his witches. _'His witches?' When did that happen?_ It was almost as if he had downloaded all their memories into his brain. He decided that now was a good time to view some of the memories and hopefully his headache would go down.

Harry instinctively started with the earliest memories of his best friend Hermione. He watched memories of Hermione as a toddler in a loving home. _She sure got her love for books from her mom._ The memories of spending long hours in the daycare waiting for her dentist parents to pick her up and take her home so that she could read her favorite book. These were followed by memories of her summers with her older cousins who would shun her for being a bookworm and a girl. Harry laughed at the cute pout she had when he caught her reflection in the mirror. Harry was as elated as she was when she received her first encyclopedia as her sixth-year birthday present.

These good memories were followed by memories of school where she was picked on by all her classmates. The number of times a potential friend had come back the next day to either move away from her or join the teasing gang made Harry empathize with her. Harry was surprised at Hermione's resolution that friends were not that important and that she could manage on her own. He saw scenes of her parents reinforce this resolution by lauding her academic achievements. To an impressionable Hermione, her books, her parents and her teachers always told her the truth and would never tease her for trying her best. Harry now understood the basis for Hermione's personality.

Harry watched as Hermione received her Hogwarts letter and how her parents wondered if it was some sort of a joke. He watched as Professor McGonagall visit the Granger's residence and demonstrate the existance of magic. Harry witnessed the excitement and curiosity she felt about this whole new world that she did not know about. Harry was surprised when the Grangers gave her the choice to decide whether she wished to go to Hogwarts or not. He watched with fascination as he viewed her make a resolution to make friends and not be a social outcast in this second chance she was given.

Harry felt conflicted watching Hermione's memories about him from her viewpoint. He was surprised by her resolve to put aside her work in order to ensure that both he and Ron passed their exams. Harry laughed when he watched memories of her berating Ron on being a lazy bum and how she hoped that both her boys would learn to take academics a bit more seriously. But to her Harry was someone she felt a close relationship with, someone who she wanted to protect and help with everything she had. She could never understand why Harry seemed to hate authority figures and why he would never trust the adults in his life. Harry watched with fascination the memories of her debating with herself if she should risk her friendship with Harry over a broomstick. He felt saddened by the amount of hurt he had caused her by not standing up for her in the argument that followed.

Harry was surprised to see the number of snide remarks and teasing she has had to bear at Hogwarts. He wondered as to how he had not noticed this before. It was obvious that she considered herself as an ugly duckling and she became determined to change herself into a social butterfly. He watched her swallow her pride and approach Lavender and Parvati for help her with getting ready for the Yule Ball during the Tri-Wizard Tournament, her elation on the response of the whole school to her appearance pleasing her immensly, and the horror she felt when Ron in his infinite jealousy decided to wreck the night for her. All she wanted was one night when she felt on top of the world.

Harry was surprised to see a facet of Hermione's personality that he never knew existed. She would deliberately rile up Ron with conversations about her letters to Krum and the amusement she felt. To her, Harry was someone she was deeply loyal to where as Ron was more of a comic relief. He watched with amazement as she explained her relationship with Harry to the other witches and was surprised to know about the oath they had shared.

After reviewing all of Hermione's memories, Harry felt truly blessed to have such a great friend in her. He realized that he too loved Hermione and felt a deep loyalty towards her. He felt his magic react to his positive feelings towards her and felt his bond with her settle. He felt genuinely happy to have Hermione as his bond-mate, and was mildly surprised to receive a mental smile from her. Harry now knew what he had to do with the others memories in order to settle the bonds.

Harry next watched Luna's memories. Luna had a very happy childhood and Harry loved watching Luna's mother, Leona Lovegood, dote on her only daughter. Leona would tell Luna bedtime stories of fictitious animals and kingdoms that Luna absolutely loved. The most shocking memory Harry witnessed was that Leona was Lucius Malfoy's younger sister and the circumstances in which she died. During a conversation Luna overheard when she was 9 years old, Leona berated Lucius Malfoy for squandering the family fortune. Lucius got agitated as she continued her rant and fired a silencio at her. Leona threw up an experimental shield she had been working on at the Department of Mysteries. When the silencio hex met her shield, it backfired and lead a magical backlash mortally wounding her. Harry watched in silent horror as Luna rushed into the room to see Lucius cradling her mother and crying. If was obvious that Lucius loved his sister very much. Luna watched as her mother passed away staring into her eyes with a smile on her face. Following this incident, Luna withdrew within herself and shunned any outside contact. The only persons she had talked for the next two years before she came to Hogwarts were her father and Ginny Weasley.

Harry watched as Luna built the Loony personality as a facade to keep away emotional attachment with anyone. She faced the hazing and teasing at Hogwarts with a detachment Harry felt was not normal. She was confused as to why Harry would help her stop the bullying when it really did not affect her. When she realized that Harry did not expect anything in return, she felt a glimmer of hope that she could find at least one friend who would get to know the real her.

Harry watched with morbid embarrassment when he watched Luna's memories about the time when she hit puberty. When she attained menarche, she was so innocent that she thought that someone in her dorm had hexed her. She kept applying healing charms for a whole day before she went to Madam Pompfrey for help. Harry was amazed that the school nurse explained about the female reproductive system with a straight face and also gave her the female version of 'the talk'. Harry vowed to himself that he would never make fun of Luna by bringing up this memory. It was bad enough that he got to witness it. Harry felt his magic react to his protective attitude towards Luna and Harry felt acceptance in the bond.

Harry felt his headache slipping away and resolved to finish the process by reviewing Susan and Daphne's memories. Harry watched Susan's happy childhood and wondered if his childhood might have been the same had his parents been alive. There was so much laughter and joy throughout her life. Her parents had been Aurors and would regale her stories of their adventures. Her aunt, who was actually her godmother, was very close to her and spoilt her. Susan felt as much at home in her parents' home as she felt at her aunts. When her parents were killed by Voldemort's henchmen, her aunt consoled her that her parents died doing what they loved doing, fighting evil. Harry felt a feeling of pride and felt her resolve that she too would live a life doing what she loved doing.

Harry watched memories of her having innumerable conversations with her Aunt about governance in both the wizarding and muggle world. Thanks to her mother, a French muggleborn witch, she learnt the importance of not cutting themselves off from the muggle world. Her favorite hobby was to discuss the pros and cons of the various laws with her aunt. On the other end of the spectrum, Harry realized that Susan was a girly-girl whose bedroom was filled with pink fluffy things. Harry wondered if the gene for giggling was inherited through the X chromosome. Harry was surprised to know the number of shades of lipsticks and nail polishes she owned. Hannah was her best friend and they spent a number of nights having a pajama party discussing clothes, make-up and boys. One such memory stood out among all others.

It was during the Tri-wizard tournament when Susan and Hannah sat in their dorm discussing their favorite topic. Susan teased Hannah about Ernie and Hannah teased Susan about the crush she had on Harry Potter. Susan sighed and replied, "Hannah, there are 5 types of witches in this world. 1. Those who are too old to have a crush on _the great Harry Potter_ e.g. my aunt, 2. Those who are in love with somebody else e.g. you, 3. Those who are fan-girls e.g. Ginny Weasley, 4. Those who have a crush on him yet feel that he would never reciprocate it e.g. Hermione 5. And those who manage to catch Harry's eye e.g. Cho. I find myself in the same category as Hermione and sometimes when I see him all dejected and depressed I just feel like walking up to him, hugging him and hit him with a tickling hex." Susan and Hannah both laughed and then sighed and added, "He looks as if he believes that the whole world is out to get him. If only he knew the number of people who believe in him."

Harry laughed mentally at the tickling hex comment and vowed to himself that he would take life-lessons from Susan. In spite of all the tragedy in her life, she is one of the happiest person he knew, the true definition of an optimist. He felt as though he had swallowed a pepper-up potion and could only attribute it to his magic accepting the bond he had with Susan

Harry wondered what he would find in Daphne's memories. Harry had hardly spoken two words to her before the rescue. The earliest memory he found was Daphne crying and running to her mother complaining that her father had slapped her. Her mother sang her a song that soothed her to sleep. These memories were followed by others which were as different as day and night. When she was with her mother, Daphne was bright and chirpy; but when her father was around, she had an expressionless mask on her face. As she grew up, she witnessed multiple episodes of abuse that her father dished out to her mother.

When Daphne was 8 years old, she brought home with her one of her male classmates who she claimed to be her best friend at school. Her mother, happy that her daughter still had a semblance of a normal childhood, was entertaining the children when her father walked into their house drunk and kicked the boy out. This lead to a major fight between her parents and Daphne stood horrified and frozen as her father cast the _Imperio_ on her mother and raped her in the living room to teach his wife a lesson. Her father then stunned her and the next thing she knew when she woke up was that her father had been killed in an honor duel. Daphne was so traumatized that she unconsciously suppressed these memories and went on with her life as if her father had never existed.

The incident with her parents affected her so much that she believed that all men were the scum of this earth born to cause suffering to women. She only had one true best friend, Tracey Davis, who shared her views on men. She started a lesbian relationship with Tracey and really believed that she was happy in life. During the summer after her third year, Daphne's mother caught Daphne and Tracey fooling around and during the conversation that followed, her mother told her that while she was not angry about her relationship, she questioned if Daphne was under any Chastity Enchantments. A trip to St. Mungos, where her mother worked as a Healer and Experimental Potions Mistress, proved her doubt to be true. Any wizard that would try take her honor without the permission of her guardian would find himself losing his magic. Her father had cast the enchantments in such a way that her mother did not have the right to remove them. When Daphne confessed to Tracey about what she had found out, they chose to continue their relationship till such a time the enchantments were removed. Harry realized that Daphne's 'emotionless mask' she wore during her childhood around her father along with the chastity enchantments was the reason for the title 'Ice Queen of Slytherin'.

As Harry watched the memories of the last two weeks where Daphne came to terms with her mother's death and a near death experience before she was rescued, Harry heart went out to the girl and vowed to keep her safe. Harry had a grin on his face as he felt his magic accepting the soul bond with Daphne.

Harry woke up and was surprised to find that it was way past mid-day. He reached for his glasses and realized that there were four angry witches glaring at him. He gulped and wondered what made them so angry. To diffuse the situation, he stood up and said to Hermione with a grin, "Riling up Ron amuses you, eh?"

Hermione walked up to him and hit him on his chest with both her balled up hands, "Stupid, stupid, stupid boy! Why did you not tell me that the Drusleys treated you that bad?"

Harry did the only thing he could. He hugged her and kissed her on her forehead. "Its alright Hermione. It is in the past! Now I have the four of you, my bond mates and my family. Thank you." He lifted her chin and kissed her on her cheek.

Hermione blushed and said with a cheeky grin, "So I was really your first kiss! You kissed me when I petrified huh?"

Harry blushed red with embarrassment and said, "Hermione, you know that I would do anything for you. I thought that maybe the sleeping beauty fairy tale had some truth behind it." Hermione laughed when she heard the explanation. "My sweet, innocent Harry! If only you knew the non-Disney version of Sleeping Beauty!" She hugged him before she released him.

Harry turned towards Luna and said, "Ferret's first cousin eh? come here you..." Harry held out both his hands with a cheeky grin. Luna laughed and reciprocated the hug, "You better be nice to my cousin now and change him into a ferret often!" Harry laughed. "Luna, we four will always be there for you! Can we please always see Luna and not Loony in the present company?" Luna nodded with a smile.

"Susan, how does it feel being in the last category now? You are bonded to the person you have a crush on..." Harry said with a grin. Susan laughed and hit him with a tickling hex. "I so wanted to do that all this while!" Harry burst out laughing uncontrollably and gave Susan a hug. Hermione took pity on him and ended the curse, but it didn't seem to have any effect on Harry's laughter.

After a couple of minutes of laughing, Harry relaxed and said, "I have never laughed so much in my life. Thank you Susan!"

Harry turned towards Daphne and spoke to her, "Daphne, I wonder what Tracey would say now!" and burst out laughing. Daphne put out at being made fun of, shot a stinging hex at Harry which he wandlessly batted away much to the surprise of everyone, himself included. "Gryffindor Golden Boy almost became a Slimy Slytherin huh?" Daphne drawled in her best Malfoy accent.

Harry walked up to her, hugged her and whispered in her ear, "If you and Tracey wish to continue your relationship, I have no objections. And if you want to talk about your father, I will always be here for you." Harry squeezed her harder, not seeing the shocked expression. She muttered, "Thank you Harry!" Slowly the expression on her face changed as she smirked and said, "Harry get your paws off me! If you want to grope someone, Susan is right here."

Harry burst out in laughter and released Daphne from his hug. "I am so happy today that I could die right now."

"Don't you dare talk like that Harry!" Hermione chided. "But Hermione, I really am." Harry whined and then with a twinkle in his eyes said, "Maybe I should try the Patronus charm, you know, _Expecto Patronum_"

Daphne looked at his stag Patronus in awe, "I have never known anyone to have conjured a golden Patronus let alone conjure a regular one wandlessly!"

Harry simply shrugged and said, "Expect the unexpected from me. I think my magic is all wonky today." Harry stumbled a little and struggled to maintain his balance.

"Harry, stop doing magic!" Hermione scolded him. "Ragnok told you that you need to bleed off your magic for sometime before you regularly use it, remember?"

"But Hermione, isn't doing a Patronus charm a way to bleed of your magic? Or maybe I will get the Elves to do something productive with my excess magic!"

"What do you mean Harry?" Hermione enquired.

"I guess I will have to explain a little about house-Elves. House-Elves need to bind to a source of magic in order to survive. They do have some reserves that they can draw on, before they go insane and die. I have given Dobby and Winky permission to draw as much of my magic as needed provided, it doesn't put me in magical exhaustion. For normal day-to-day house-Elf activities, I can hardly feel the drain of my magic. But with any large scale magic usage such as, casting wards or building homes, I should feel a little tired."

"So why not have Winky put wards around our friends' houses? Also, if I could bind the 49 Elves who helped in the construction of the Den, they could build a few houses. We could rebuild the Lovegood Shack, the Bones residence, the Greengrass Manor and maybe even the Burrow. How about that??" Harry was excited now.

"How about this Hermione? Since you are really good at it, why not you be incharge of the organization of all tasks needed to achieve the Potter family's vision? I have many items on my wish list. Why don't you note mine down and then we will go around the room and get everyone elses."

Hermione blushed and said, "I like how that sounds, 'The Potter Family'". She whipped up her planner and a muggle pen and started noting down Harry's wish list.

_1. Revise Sirius' will_

_2. Get out of Dumbledore's control_

_3. Trick Voldemort into giving me a breather_

_4. Manipulate the ministry so that it becomes accountable for its actions_

_5. Change the Wizarding world, bring it into the 21st century, rid it of bigotry_

_6. Improve the conditions and relationships with all sentient species, Goblins, Elves, Werewolves, Vampires, Centaurs, Veela, Giants, Unicorns etc._

_7. Start new or invest in existing businesses to improve wizarding economy, build new homes, etc._

_8. Attract wizarding immigration or increase the wizarding population_

_9. Make it impossible for Voldemort to recruit; ruin Death eater finances; kill/capture death eaters; then kill/capture Voldemort_

_10. Do all this without drawing attention towards myself (Hermione snorted when she heard this)_

_11. Start a family, have many children and live happily ever after out of the limelight!_

"Simple huh?" Harry said with a wink. The four witches were gob smacked at the list. Harry waited a few moments and silence was getting uncomfortable.

"I think I broke all of you." Harry joked.

"WOW! How and why do you plan to do all this?" Hermione, the first person to recover, asked.

"I can answer the 'Why'. In spite of your claims that I am a great wizard, I hardly compare to either Dumbledore or Voldemort in terms of raw magical power. Dumbledore has more than a century and half of knowledge and Voldemort about half a century; not to mention all the dark rituals that Voldemort has undergone. So challenging Voldemort to a duel and expecting to come out of it alive is utter foolishness. This cannot be a Gryffindor's fight, but a Slytherin's fight."

"Heck, even if I somehow kill Voldemort in an epic battle, who says that the Ministry will not frame me for murder? Dumbledore wont really do much as he expects me to die and will cart me off to Azkaban like how he did it to Sirius. So the solution that I believe would work would be to change the wizarding world first before vanquishing Voldemort. Stop his recruitment, kill his finances, capture his followers and he will be powerless."

"Now as to the 'How', I have absolutely no idea! That's what I have you four for! You four are extremely smart and with unlimited resources, I am sure you can come up with a workable plan."

The other three witches were still speechless. Harry looked at them and decided to change the topic. "So Daphne, what do you want to do in your life? What's your greatest wish?"

"What do you mean Harry?" Daphne enquired politely.

"Well, when a man dies, he expects to leave behind a legacy. Legacy could be something like Dumbledore defeating Grindelwald, My mom sacrificing herself to save me, my dad and his friends becoming notorious pranksters, me ridding the world of Riddle. Ha Ha! Or it could be like Goblins expect, increasing your family's net worth by say 50%, or like what Elves expect, you serve and help a million population through your actions. So what do you want to do?"

"Very philosophical Harry!" Hermione quipped.

"I really did not have anything better to do during all those boring summers here Hermione. I just kept all my musings to myself as I am usually busy trying to not get killed as soon as I leave the muggle world." Harry commented sadly.

"Harry, I want to rid the world of domestic abuse and also continue my mothers legacy in experimental potions." Daphne replied.

"Potions huh? Awesome. Maybe you could teach me what the greasy git couldn't. I never really understood why there have to be x number of clockwise movements and y number of anti-clockwise. Also, why add the ingredients in that order." Harry commented. "Hey Mia, could you add to my list to Get rid of the greasy git's influence on me"

"What about you Susan?" Susan started fidgeting and looked nervous. "Its alright Susan, none of us are going to laugh at you." Harry encouraged.

"Umm... two things actually. I wish to work for the government. And the second... umm... I wish to have a few children and raise them in a loving environment." Susan whispered.

"Nothing wrong with wanting children Susan. That is also Molly Weasley's legacy. Of course, she kind of overdoes the protecting the children part though! By the way, you know I can't help with that goal till we make a decision about our relationship right?" Harry wiggled his eyebrows.

"Oh joy! He finds his flirting gene", Daphne deadpanned to everyone's laughter.

"Luna?" Harry prompted. Luna had a dreamy expression on her face and said, "I really want to find a crumpled horned Snorkack. My mom though she told me a lot of stories about fictitious animals, believed in the existence of the Snorkack. I think she will be happy if I can prove to the world its existence. I also wish to carry on my mothers legacy in experimental charms."

"That's cool, Luna. And we will help you find a Snorkack and your charms projects." Harry nodded. "And you Hermione?"

"I wanted to say Elf freedom, I mean, Elf welfare, but you are way ahead of me in that." Hermione joked. "But seriously, I want to keep you alive in this conflict with Voldemort! And second, I want to remove the importance of blood in the wizarding society."

"Whoa! now that is ambitious, are you sure the sorting hat did not want you in Slytherin?" Harry joked.

"So how do we achieve all our goals?" Harry asked and opened it for discussion.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 09: Knowledge Management: Goblin Style**

"Good morning, everyone! I hope you are well rested because today is going to be very tiring." Griphook greeted them with a feral smile on his face the next day. "I was very surprised when I felt your bonds settle well so fast. I expected that it would take at least a couple of weeks. Congratulations to you!" Griphook bowed to the wizard and his four bond-mates.

"Today's lessons and exercises will be spread over 8 hours. In the first few hours, we will work on visualizing your magic cores and your soul-bonds. We will achieve that by attaining a meditative state and once you identify your core, you will literally build a room in the center of your core which will store your magics, memories and knowledge." Griphook explained. "This is the Goblin equivalent of wizards Occlumency. If you use this method, wizards will not be able to read any of your memories or thoughts using wizards' leglimency."

"The Elves protect their memories by creating a ward that is anchored into their magic. These wards are created when an Elf swears to keep his masters secrets. Never try to do leglimency on an Elf. I assure you that the experience is not pleasant." Griphook shook his head as if he was remembering a painful memory. "Before we begin, do you have any questions?"

Hermione excitedly raised her hand earning a roll of the eyes from all humans in the room. "Can Goblins and Elves perform leglimency? Are we going to learn it?"

"Mrs. Granger-Potter..." Hermione interrupted Griphook before he could continue. "Hermione, please! I speak for others that they would prefer to be called by their first names." The other witches nodded their consent.

"Thank you for the honor, Hermione. Elves cannot do leglimency as that would clash with the nature of their magic. Goblins have a different technique, we call 'soul-reading' that we use. Ever wondered how Goblins know your name before you introduce yourself?" Griphook sniggered. "Unfortunately, I cannot teach you the technique. It requires many years of using Goblin magic to acquire the skill. Among all magical beings, I would say that the Goblins have the best Occlumency, where as Vampires have the best leglimency."

"Alright, if there are no more questions, please drink these two potions and get comfortable on the ground in this yoga technique called 'Padmasana'." Griphook demonstrated the Indian-squatting on the carpet. "One of the potions is an energy drink and another calming draught. We may proceed well past lunch, so the energy potion will be needed."

The five students took the potions and soon relaxed in the Padmasana posture. Griphook started chanting in a barely audible volume. Very soon, Harry and the witches forgot about everything except Griphook's voice. After what felt like a few hours, Hermione gave out a gasp as she visualized her magical core. Griphook continued chanting but kept his sight on the expressions on various face and was please to see a surprised expression on all of them.

Not wanting to startle the students, he spoke in a gentle soothing voice, "If all of you can visualize your magic cores, nod your head." He was pleased to note that all of them nodded their head. "Each of you will see it as a different representation. Can you describe what you see? Harry?"

"I see it as a huge lake. There seem to be several tributaries that feed into or out of the lake.", Harry replied in an expression less voice.

"How about you Hermione?"

"I see it as a tree with a huge trunk and a few branches. Some of the branches are of different colors." Hermione replied.

"What about you Luna?"

"I see it as a white cloud. It is much thicker than a fog. So must be a cloud."

"How about you Susan?"

"I see it as a river but the water is flowing in both directions. There is also some turbulance at some spots." Susan replied.

"And Daphne?"

"I see it as a simmering cauldron which occasionally overflows. I see a few broken ropes next to the cauldron. There also seems to be a couple of tubes going out of the cauldron." Daphne replied in the same emotionless voice as Harry.

"Now, I want you to have fun. Jump into the magic core, immerse yourselves and get used to the feeling of your magic. I will let you know what to do next." Griphook watched as the students had a happy expression on their face. Each of them was now surrounded by a visual aura. Harry's aura was almost blindingly brightest, followed by that of Hermione, Luna, Daphne and Susan. "You may see several colors in your core. Make sure you bask in those colors too." Soon the colors of the students aura began to change from white to red, pink, yellow, purple, green, brown etc. At one point of time, Harry had a multicolored swirling colored aura and Griphook was pleasantly surprised to note that.

After about an hour of watching their auras, Griphook decided to move to the next step. "Alright! Now, I want you to imagine a moderately large room that has at least 8 doors and many windows."

Harry visualized his room and he realized that his room was very similar to the Headmasters office at Hogwarts. He willed there to be a table and 8 chairs in the center of the room and they appeared. Harry was very pleased with creating his mental construct. _Now 'WILL' one door to open into a large hall that would store your memories._ Harry followed the instruction and willed his magic to create a room from one of the two doors that was behind the head of the table.

_Now 'will' your magic to create another door to open into an adjacent room that would store your knowledge._ Harry followed the instruction and created his knowledge room behind the other door at the head of the table.

_Now 'will' your magic to create windows or panels anywhere in your room and link it to each of the colors you found in your core._ Harry willed to create panels around the doors leading to his memory and knowledge rooms. There were 10 different panels, 5 on each side of the doors. One of the panels was multi-colored and Harry wondered what that might be.

_Now if you haven't already done so, create a center table with 7-8 chairs around it. This would be your meeting room._ Harry was pleased that he had already anticipated it and done so. _Now will each of the doors to connect to the meeting room in each of your bond-mates magic core. It might be easiest to connect for all the witches to Harry first._ With Griphook naming each of the witches, Harry willed to connect the door to that witch and the witch willed to create a connection with Harry. Soon, Harry had a formal mental connection to each of his witches. He willed to create name tags on each of the doors.

_Now Harry, try to will a door to connect to me and another to Dobby._ Harry did that and was pleased by the result.

_I see that the witches have taken a loyalty pledge. we can use that bond to connect the other doors in your rooms._ Pretty soon, all the witches had a door connecting to each other and to Harry. In the meantime, Harry willed the ceiling of the room to show various sceneries. He also created long tubes to denote the magic levels and health of each of his bond mates. These tubes were similar to the house-point tubes in the great hall at Hogwarts. He created a perch in the corner of the room where Fawkes perch would be situated and willed Hedwig to come there.

While Griphook was busy with the witches, he was interrupted by flapping of wings and was surprised to see Hedwig perch on Harry's shoulder and a brief flare of magic indicated that they had formed a much stronger familiar bond. Griphook chuckled at the display of power Harry did unknowingly.

With the connections done, Griphook explained that they need to will all their memories to come into the memory room. He explained that they would have to sort each memory and strip the knowledge from it and store it in the knowledge room. He explained that you may store the memories and knowledge which ever way they wanted, but it should be organized for fast retrieval. Harry decided that he would store his memories as photo-albums and store them in various trunks. Trunks with sensitive information would be stored in secure rooms in the memory room. He also created multiple rooms within the memory room to separate the memories he had downloaded from his bond mates. Harry also created another room in which he would store unsorted memories in.

Harry decided to store his knowledge in a pensieve. He figured that if he could will the knowledge pieces to merge with each other to create a knowledge map or ontology, he would be able to find information faster. Harry was almost halfway through the pile when Griphook interrupted and told all of them to take a break in Harry's meeting room. Harry was pleasantly surprised to see each of the witches bathed in a semi transparent glow. He gave each of them a hug and a kiss on the cheek and invited them. He had fun showing off his creation and the witches decided to steal some of his ideas.

Griphook entered the room through his door and congratulated everyone on a job well done. He then asked each of them to will themselves out of the room and each disappeared with a very faint pop.

"Welcome back all of you! An excellent job Mr. Potter. Did you realize that you willed to create a familiar bond with Hedwig and now you can communicate with her mentally?" Seeing the awed expression on their faces, Griphook chuckled. "I have not had this much fun in a long time!" He exclaimed. "Anyway, I suggest that each of you sort your memories and knowledge either tonight or tomorrow. For now, do you have any other questions for me? I remember hearing about some wish-lists being created?"

"Oh yeah! Griphook, we wish to ruin death eater finances. Are there areas from which they make their most money?" Harry enquired.

"I am not supposed to give out such details. But as you have been named a Goblin-friend and your witches have sworn not to divulge such information, I can freely speak of it. Almost every business that is making money is owned by death eaters. Potion supplies, real-estate, quills and parchments, broomstick companies, portkey royalties, enchanted objects royalties, royalties on many specialized charms, etc. The major industries that are not owned by death eaters are healthcare, news (Daily prophet and WWN) which are subsidized by the Ministry and hence controlled through political methods. Other industries such as clothing and food are too diverse to be controlled. But firewhiskey and butterbeer are exceptions. So all in all, about 65 percent of the economy is controlled by death eaters."

Harry whistled on hearing the number. "Portkey royalties?" Harry was surprised.

"The _portus_ spell was claimed to have been invented by an ancestor of Mr. Malfoy. The details are available at either Gringotts or the Ministry Charms Patent Office. Each authorized portkey costs about 50 galleons of which about 60% goes to the inventor as royalties. The rest goes into the ministry's account. International portkey costs about 400-600 galleons based on where you wish to travel."

"That is pretty steep. How about broomsticks?"

"The death eaters are the majority owners of the Cleansweep, Nimbus and Firebolt companies. They own most of the Quidditch teams except the Harpies, Puddlemore United and the Cannons. By the way, you are a majority shareholder of those three teams. Did you know that?"

"WHAT??? I really need to look at my portfolio you gave me." Harry exclaimed.

Griphook chuckled. "So who do you think killed the magic carpet industry? You are right, the broomstick industries as they couldn't get a stake in the magic carpet industry, which incidentally is owned by you 100 percent."

"Tell me places like the Leaky Cauldron is not owned by them. What about construction and warding industries?"

Griphook laughed. "There has not been any new construction in the wizarding world in the last 50 years. Those who can afford to build something new have multiple mansions already. Others don't have the money to afford it. About warding..." Griphook sighed. "Most people do their own warding these days. Gringotts services are too expensive to afford for most of the population. Places like the Leaky Cauldron, Ollivander's and Florean's are owned by private individuals. You may own some of the shops in Diagon and a few more shops in Knockturn Alley. All the shops in Elf Alley are owned by Gringotts."

"That brings us to the next point. I wish to start a _'Warding company'_ and a _'construction company'_. I plan to charge a modest sum of 1,000 galleons for warding a property with the best available wards. As most of the wards will be cast by my Elves, I really will not be incurring much expenditure other than usage of my magic. I want Gringotts to give loans at 5 percent interest per annum. I know the interest rate is very low, but making money is not the point. I am willing to give a 10% cut on our income to Gringotts for just allowing us to start this business as I feel we are encroaching onto your domain. I hope the Goblins see it as free money coming in from new business that you did not know existed. I plan to ward most of the muggleborn homes too. I would really appreciate it if you could let me know about any legal hassles. Also, if you could provide us your general ward-weaving schema, for a price of course, we would really appreciate it."

"That is an ingenious idea. I will discuss this with Ragnok and get back to you. How about the construction company?"

"Again, I plan to hire Elves for construction. I am not sure if we can find any dwarfs for underground work. These houses will be both magical and muggle. I might even create several colonies or even fully-magical villages like Hogsmaede. I realize that I own a lot of land. Heck, we might as well start a tourism/holiday resort company too. Gringotts will always get a 10% cut in all the companies I create. Based on the size of the houses, the cost will be anywhere between 15,000 to 35,000 galleons per house. For a 35,000 galleon home, I expect the wood for the building structure will cost about 3,500 galleons and all the furnishings and furniture in the house to cost not more than 2,000 galleons. And I don't have to pay for the labor right away." Harry grinned.

"HARRY! You can not NOT pay the Elves!" Hermione complained.

"Of course I am going to pay them Hermione. Do you think I will abuse the Elves? Elves don't understand the concept of galleons and sickles. I will pay them in terms of what they want and need the most. They like to work and they like to be able to do magic. I will provide them an excess of both. But I don't plan on overworking them and will give them all the care needed. I will also pay them in galleons but knowing them, they would ask me to put the money back into a trust or the ELF fund."

"How many Elves do you plan to own?" Griphook enquired.

"Not own Griphook! But employ as servants until we can break the curse binding their magic." Harry grinned. "I hope to employ all the Elves in the world if I can, but I will do that subtly without raising suspicions." Griphook smiled. "So will Gringotts be able to extend housing loans at 5 percent too over 15-35 years? In case of foreclosure, you can always sell those houses at a much higher rate."

"I don't know! We might have to worry about cash-flow and hire more personnel. I will let you know after I discuss these ideas with the council. I think it is time for me to leave now. I want you to have these two potions after you are done sorting your memories. These potions contain both Elven and Goblin magic knowledge. You might have to immerse yourself in the knowledge and practice to be able to do these magics. But don't try casting any spells till your magic core stops expanding. The third vial has knowledge about wizarding finances and Gringotts operational procedures."

Harry promised to do so and thanked Griphook, who disappeared with a faint pop. After a quick dinner, Harry and the witches went to the master bedroom and were out even before they hit the bed.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10: To Get The Job Done, Delegate**

A few days after Harry had assimilated the Elven and Goblin magic knowledge, Katie Bell celebrated her seventeenth birthday at the Weasley Twins Joke shop in Diagon Alley. Present for the celebration were her close friends Alicia Spinnet, Lee Jordan, Angelina Johnson and the Weasley twins. After cutting the cake and singing the birthday song, they were ready to proceed to the Leaky Cauldron from lunch when Katie received an owl from Gringotts. Curious as to what Gringotts might want to do with her, she tore up the envelope and read the letter.

_Dear Ms. Katherine Anna Campbell,_

_Congratulations on attaining the age of majority. As required by the charter of the Lily Evans Educational Foundation, we have reviewed your academic and extracurricular achievements and are very pleased with the high standards you have set for yourself and achieved. We wish you luck with the remaining year of your education. The Foundation considers it an honor to fund the remaining year of education of such a bright student._

_My office has been requested to suggest a candidate for a summer internship position in a new company and I am pleased to inform you that we have suggested your name as a prime candidate. This position requires the candidate have good peoples skills and be able to work independently and expeditely. More information will be available during the interview. Secrecy oaths will have to be taken before accepting the job. What makes the internship really attractive is the pay._

_If you wish to apply for this position, please say 'I accept' and tap this parchment with your wand anytime between 2-3 PM today. You will portkey directly to the conference room._

_Good luck with your interview,  
Happy Birthday once again,  
Grimtooth, Manager, Lily Evans Educational Foundation_

"I have never received a letter from Gringotts before," commented Katie and before she could explain Alicia and Angelina grabbed the letter from her and started reading.

"Katherine"

"Anna"

"Campbell"

"All these years we knew her"

"We did not even know her name"

"And we wonder"

"If we were bad friends"

"Or if our dear Katie Bell"

"Has been hiding things from us"

The twins said in their characteristic ping pong speech.

"Wait Katie! You are LEEF too?" Alicia enquired.

"I am too" said Angelina. "So are Lee and the twins."

"In fact my whole family is educated thanks to LEEF", Fred said solemnly.

"God bless her soul. May Lily Evans rest in peace!" added George.

"Who is this person anyway, Lily Evans?" enquired Katie.

"Are..."

"You..."

"Kidding..."

"You don't know who..."

"Lily Evans is?"

"Not a clue! I enquired in Gringotts once and they shooed me away." replied Katie.

"Lily Evans is..."

"The mother of ..."

"Our very own..."

"Green-eyed hero"

"Harry James Potter."

"Whoa! all these years and I never knew." Angelina commented.

"I have always known her as Lily Potter, wonder why they named the foundation on her maiden name!" Alicia wondered.

"Are you serious? Then the Foundation would no longer be LEEF right?" Lee Jordan snickered.

"Nah! I think it is to make sure that Harry Potter does not get any more attention." Angelina reasoned.

"I doubt if Harry knows about this foundation." Katie wondered.

"Probably not! So Katie you going?" Alicia asked.

"Of course I am. Beats being jobless and galleon-less."

Katie activated the portkey and was taken to a conference room. Sitting across the desk was the Goblin Viperblade and a man with a hood on that shrouded his facial features.

"Good Afternoon Ms. Bell. I know you have a lot of questions but before that, I need you to sign this document with a blood quill. This document states that you will keep anything discussed or revealed to you during the meeting today a secret. You shall not willingly or unwilling disclose this sensitive information to anyone including, but not limited to, Tom Morvalo Riddle aka Lord Voldemort and his minions the Death Eaters, Albus Dumbledore and his minions, the Order of the Phoenix or anyone who works at the Ministry or the general public who has not signed such an oath."

"During course of your duties, should you accept this job, you will be required to disclose some facts but you shall do so only after requesting them to sign a similar oath. You will also be required to wear either these ear rings and/or this necklace at all times as these have charms to safe-guard your mind against Leglimency i.e. mind reading techniques generously used by Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape. Your payment should you accept your job would be a total of 1,000 galleons for the months of July and August. Do you wish to sign this document?"

Katie's eyes bulged out of her sockets at the pay. She readily signed the secrecy document with the blood quill.

"Hello Katie", she heard a familiar voice and looked up to find a familiar set of green-eyes.

"HARRY POTTER! Is this a joke set up by the twins?" Katie said disbelievingly.

"Of course not! Nobody knows that I am away from my muggle prison. Let us discuss the business, I am afraid I really don't have that much free time."

"First Katie, you are not to mention to anyone about my involvement in this company. If someone asks you then you will only refer to me as your 'boss'. There are a lot of things at stake here and I don't want you to get into any trouble." Katie nodded.

"Now, you know that it has been proven that Voldemort is back. The ministry, instead of preparing itself and the public for the upcoming war, is hiding its head in the sand like an Ostrich. Dumbledore has not done anything concrete in terms of keeping all my friends alive. So here is where your role comes in."

"I want you to visit each students house irrespective of their blood status, yes, that means visiting them in the muggle world too and offer them a chance to put up wards around their house for their protection. Here is a list of all the wards that will be put up." Harry handed her a parchment. Katie's eyes bugged out at the comprehensiveness of the list. "This is an all or none list. That means they cannot be picky. They will need to donate a few drops of blood to personalize the wards and make it stronger. Are you with me so far?"

"Wow Harry! I don't know too much about wards, but these houses will be as protected as Hogwarts! This is an amazing. I am definitely interested. But wont this cost them a fortune?"

"My company charges 1,000 galleons per property for the wards on that list. If this is done by the curse breakers at Gringotts, it costs about 78,000 galleons. I have included an invoice from Gringotts to prove my claim. Don't bother about how I worked out my business model. Believe me, I am making a profit."

"To make the deal sweeter for our customers, here are some pre-approved loan forms from Gringotts for the 1,000 galleons at 5 percent interest per annum. This loan needs to be paid back in full with interest within 5-7 years. Some exceptions may be made to extend the time for repayment of the loan. What do you think?"

"WOW! How will the customers know that the wards are working?"

"Good Question! Here is a form to request a curse breaker from Gringotts to come over and evaluate the wards. Their nominal fee is 50 galleons. They will need to contact Gringotts on their own and arrange this evaluation. Does this sound like something you want to do this summer?"

"Harry, Thank you! I will not let you down. I realize that you would want to get as many people as possible, as soon as possible right?"

"Yes. Contact the DA and they will be the first priority. I think we can manage at least 5 properties per night. Voldemort usually does something drastic on my birthday to piss me off. So as much as the world should be warded on or before July 31st. Do you understand the importance of your mission?"

"Yes Harry! Believe me! I do. I understand that Vol..Voldemort should not have any idea of this. Why not the ministry or Dumbledore?"

Harry sighed before replying. "The Ministry is riddled with death eater moles. The moment they know about this, they will try to target you to know who is behind this. The necklace and the ear rings I gave you, are untraceable portkeys to this conference room. They also protect you from leglimency. I have a lot of issues with Dumbledore and his Order of the Phoenix. They wish to keep me a prisoner at my relative's home and believe in information-blockade. So when you discuss this with the twins, tell them that they will get this deal for their shop and apartment, but not for the Burrow. We don't want Bill Weasley poking his nose in this business. He is a direct conduit to Dumbledore. Moreover, I have a better deal for the Burrow. I leave it up to you to make arrangements for this venture. When you have the list of properties to be warded ready for the night, call for Toothy, a house-Elf. He will work with you on these."

"There is no down payment and the price is very reasonable for safety. All they have to do is sign the loan forms and we are set. This is a perfect solution." Katie replied back with determination.

"Remember Katie! Please don't mention my name to anyone. Don't contact me at all. If you have any questions, address it to Viperblade, the Goblin. Absolute secrecy is essential. If the word gets out, things will turn ugly. Also, every member of the customers family receives an untraceable portkey to a safe location and also the leglimency protection free of cost even if they choose not to do the wards. Viperblade has all the necessary forms and supplies. "

"So what do you say? Ready to do business?" Katie nodded her head vigorously. "This money bag is linked to your vault. Viperblade will help you set it up. Also, did I forget to mention a 50 galleons bonus for every property that is warded?"

"Harry! You really should not throw your money away like that! I would have worked for less you know?"

"Katie, I would gladly paid you more. I am making money in this business, remember? Moreover, money can be earned, but life once lost cannot be regained."

"Thank you Harry!" Katie walked around the table and gave him a hug and a kiss on his cheek.

"I have to go now. I have another interview to conduct." Harry winked and left.

While Katie was reading her letter from Gringotts, two other Hogwarts students, Cho Chang and Su Li received similar letters. When they activated the portkey, they landed in another conference room at Gringotts.

Harry walked into the conference room with his hood up. He greeted the two young women politely and gave them the same speech about the secrecy oath. Both Cho Chang and Su Li signed the oath with the blood quill.

"Hi Cho and Su". Harry withdrew his mask. "I know you are surprised to see me here, but I really need two experts on charms and Arithmancy to solve a problem for me. Would you both be interested? Other than the 1,000 galleon pay each of you will receive, I am willing to give another 1,000 galleons (i.e. 500 each) as a bonus if you solve the problem."

"Lets hear it Potter. Tell us more about the problem?" enquired Su. Cho was still in shock seeing Harry, but she nodded.

"I need you to find a way to break a magical binding. I know for a fact that when you break the magical bindings on a house-Elf, it turns into the mythical 'Elf', you know much taller, smaller eyes and with an ability to do magic on its own. This has never been attempted and you both will be famous if you can solve this. I will personally recommend you both for an Order of the Merlin award. So what do you say?"

Su looked at Harry as if he had lost his marbles. Cho's eyes narrowed and asked, "You love her, don't you?"

"Love who, Cho?" Harry was confused at the abrupt change in topic.

"Granger! That's who! You want to do this for her!" Cho spat.

Harry could not believe she had accused him of being that shallow. "Of course I love her, Cho! But, I am not in love with her. Do you honestly believe that I am crazy enough to spend so much time setting this up and blow 3,000 galleons just to impress her? Do you really think that I am that shallow? Get over your insecurities Cho. We had history together, but it was only one date and that is how it is going to be. We both know that neither of us are compatible with each other. You were hurting because of Cedric and believe me, so was I. I still have nightmares about that night."

"I have too many things going on in my life to date anybody. I lost my parents when I one. I grew up in an abusive household. My bedroom till I started Hogwarts was the cupboard under the stairs. I was treated like a house-Elf by my relatives in a house that I got to know recently that I own it. I fought for my life every year I was at Hogwarts. I was directly responsible for Cedric's death. I encouraged him that we both should share the Triwizard Cup. Pity, the cup, which was a portkey, took us to Voldemort. I fought deatheaters last month and I lost my godfather, the only person who ever loved me, because I was too stupid to not know a trap when it stares at you. Voldemort is back and is gunning to kill me. For all you know, I might die before I graduate from Hogwarts. I wish to leave a legacy behind by helping to liberate the house-Elves."

Harry took a deep breath while the two witches looked at him wide-eyed at his confessions. No one really knew about this side of the story. "I am sorry I lost my cool Cho! I have a memory orb here with all my memories of Cedric if it will help you find acceptance. I knew that you needed a friend to talk to about Cedric, but that topic was too raw for me to discuss and I could not really be that person. So hopefully my memories should help you." Harry handed her the box. "I really hope that we can put aside our differences and work together towards this goal. "

"The Foundation... By the way, you do know that Lily Evans is my mother, right?" Both Cho and Su were even more surprised by that revelation. "The Foundation recommended you both as the best in the two subjects and I hope that you can work together to solve the problem. If you need anything, anything at all, call for Tully the Elf. Books, potions, anything, there is no spending limit. But please use your judgment. Would you two want to work on it?"

"I will surely do it for you Harry and I am sorry! I had lost focus on what was important." Cho apologized.

"I will also do it Potter. At least it will help me with a similar problem I have with my muggleborn cousin."

"What do you mean Su? And please call me Harry!"

"You know that when you refuse to enroll in Hogwarts or one of the other magical schools, the ministry obliviators obliviate you and bind your magic right?" Su enquired.

"WHAT? How dare they!!" Harry was so shocked at the revelation that he lost control his magic and his aura flared filling the whole room with bright light. The two witches took a step back seeing the display of power.

Seeing the plight of the witches, Harry took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a few seconds calming down. "I am sorry! I shouldn't have lost my control like that. Every time I think the ministry cannot do worse, I am dispelled of that belief. I would really appreciate it if you make any progress on this. Let me know if you want me to recruit anyone else to help you with this project."

"Another thing! Please tell enquiring minds that you are working on a summer project for extra credit in class. I don't want you mentioning my name anywhere. In fact as your boss, I demand that you not disclose my role in this. This information should not reach Voldemort, Ministry or even Dumbledore. Trust me when I tell you that Dumbledore is a manipulative old-coot who uses leglimency to read thoughts and memories of his students. Same goes for Snape who is also a master leglimens. So please wear this necklace and/or ear rings all the time. It blocks leglimency attacks and also acts as an emergency portkey."

"If that is all, I thank you, Cho and Su. I have to go now. Please contact Viperblade at Gringotts with your weekly reports. If you need anything, feel free to call Tully. Here are your vault keys with your pay already deposited in it."

"So who was it? Did you get the job?" Alicia asked as soon as Katie entered the soon to be opened Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes.

"YES! I got the job! And a very important one too", Katie almost did a jig while making the announcement.

"So who do you work with? And what do you do?" Angelina enquired.

"I can't tell you that. I swore a secrecy oath." Everyone in the room raised an eyebrow at that. "However, I have a business proposition for you all. But I can't tell you unless you sign this document with this blood quill." Everyone winced at the mention of a blood quill, memories of Umbridge flooding their minds. Katie handed over the secrecy oath to Angelina, Alicia, Lee and the Weasley twins. Everyone took a few moments to peruse through the document.

"Wow! I have never seen a more tamper-proof magic contract. And to think we thought that the Goblin contracts were tamper-proof." Fred commented.

"I know what you mean my brother! Never seen a contract where it describes what happens if you break the contract. Did you read that? Your magic gets bound and you go into a magical coma for 24 hours. If the contract has not been absolved within that time by the original creator or their designee, you die. It is a very humane contract that has provided a loop-hole for accidental breakage of a contract without malicious intent." George replied.

Fred agreed. "We should get this person to craft more contracts for our business."

"Fred, did you see that Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix have been specifically included in the list of people with whom we can't discuss this business. Not that we can discuss it with anyone who has not signed the contract."

The twins looked at each other and shared a silent communication that only twins can and said together, "YEP! We are interested" and signed the oaths with the blood quill provided.

"You are not going to regret it", Katie said with the widest grin on her face. This motivated the others in the room to sign the documents too. Katie whipped out her wand and cast a privacy ward, followed by the _muffliato_ spell.

"Whoa! what was that spell. It felt as though my ears were ringing for a second." Lee enquired.

"That is a patented anti-evesdropping charm. My boss has given me permission to use it for these meetings. But I have not yet asked him permission to use it for personal use." Katie replied.

"Anyway, here is the business proposal. How would you like..." Katie paused dramatically while handing out another document to everyone, "... to have these wards installed at your business or homes at a nominal fee?"

"Proximity alarm ward triggered by Dark Mark bearers, Werewolves, Vampires, Dementors, Inferi, Giants, Centaurs, Veela, Dwarves and Wizards with key-in exceptions, Malintent Wards, Unplottable wards, Anti-Underage Magic Detention Wards, Key-in Anti-apparition and Anti-portkey wards including anti-Parseltongue-portkey wards, Key-in Anti-Broomstick and Anti-Magic-Carpet wards, Key-in Floo protection wards, Key-in Anti-Elf-Transport wards, Key-in Muggle-repelling wards, Key-in Squib-repelling wards, Key-in Wizard-repelling wards, Key-in Magical creature repelling wards, Key-in Animagus repelling wards... " The twins whistled on reading the list. The others just looked at Katie wide-eyed.

"I didn't even know that all these wards were available." Alicia exclaimed.

"My home has almost no wards around it. I had convinced Oliver Wood to cast a proximity and anti-apparition ward last summer. Even he admitted that they were very weak." Angelina explained.

"These wards are spectacular, just short of a Fidelius charm. I bet these are going to cost a fortune. I know that Bill said wards are very expensive." George commented.

"You are right! These wards will cost a fortune if you go through Gringotts." Katie said handing out the Gringotts invoice. The audience's eyes bugged out at seeing the figure. "But..." Katie paused dramatically, "My company will charge you only 1,000 galleons for it. There are a few conditions though."

"Just 1,000 for all this?? How? Will the wards be strong enough?" Angelina sputtered.

"Don't worry about how we manage to do it at such a low cost. My boss says that we are still making a profit. And the wards will be as strong as the wards at St. Mungos" Katie explained.

"Who is your boss and what is the name of your company? This is too good an offer." Lee demanded.

"I can't tell you the name of my boss. Let us just say that we are 'A New Company'." Katie grinned. "Get it, get it??"

"A New Company, huh?" Fred grinned. "Blood genius is what it is!" George laughed. "The perfect anonymous name for a company!"

"Pity I don't have a thousand galleons, or I would have signed a contract right now." Alicia sighed.

Katie couldn't help but laugh out loud. "Here, have a look at this then!" Katie handed over the Gringotts pre-approved loan applications.

"Your boss is an absolute genius! How did he manage to convince the Goblins? A 5-7 year loan to clear off with only 5% annual rate of interest? We have never heard of this kind of personal loan." Fred almost shrieked. "How did he manage it?" George asked excitedly.

"You said it! My Boss is a genius." Katie grinned.

"Fifty galleons per contract is a pretty good incentive to love your boss." Alicia joked.

"How did you know that?" Katie was surprised. She had not revealed anything about her pay.

"It is in the loan contract." Lee replied. "It says here that _'Fifty galleons would go towards the commission of the person who brokered the deal'_ that is obviously you. And you are to give a form, using which we can request a Gringotts curse breaker to certify the wards at a cost of 50 galleons. But we have to deal directly with Gringotts for that."

"So all I have to do is sign the contract, my loan with the amazing deal is pre-approved and wards will be installed at my home within a few days? Alright, what is the catch? There is always a catch!" Angelina asked skeptically.

"The catch is that 1) Each member of the household donates 3 drops of blood. This includes the house-Elves too if any. 2) Every member of the household is put in an enchanted sleep during the process of warding, so I will be the only person from my team they will ever interact with. 3) Each member is required a wear a piece of jewelry on their person every day. This jewelry is charmed to act as an emergency portkey to a safe house and also blocks leglimency attacks. 4) You are strongly encouraged to do your civic duty voting or by responding to ministry's public opinion advertisements." Katie explained.

"That's it? No ulterior motive? No hidden charges or commissions? No penalty on the loans?" Angelina asked disbelievingly.

"Nope! My boss wants as much of the world warded as soon as possible. My team should be able to ward AT LEAST 5 properties per night." Katie said with a smile.

"We would be fools not to sign the contracts. What do you say my twin?" Fred asked.

"I think we would like one contract for our shop and another for the Burrow" George replied.

"Umm... Can't do for the Burrow." The twins raised their eyebrows at this. Katie then explained, "My boss says that he has a better deal for the Burrow and he plans to approach Bill with the proposal next week. He says that it doesn't make sense to ward a house that would probably be rebuilt. He requests that you both keep this a secret till then."

In the meantime, Alicia, Angelina and Lee signed the contract. The twins signed the contract for the shop. Katie promised that their properties would be warded the next night.

Alicia sighed. "Pity this offer was not given last week. The Lovegoods and Bones residences were attacked and destroyed by death eaters. They could have used such strong wards."

Katie blanched at the news. "Are they alright? Did anybody get hurt? I promised my Boss that I will have the wards up before the next death eater attack. Any idea as to how I can speed this up?"

The twins looked at the contract and spoke up. "You know..."

"It doesn't say anywhere that..."

"You should be the one..."

"To broker the deals. So..."

"Technically, each of us..."

"Could do your work..."

"And spread this..."

"Like a spider web, so that..."

"We can cover as many..."

"People as possible, ..."

"As quickly as possible. And ..."

"Earn the 50 galleons per contract." Both the twins grinned.

"THAT IS BRILLIANT!!" Katie exclaimed. "I knew we were friends for a reason."

The twins looked gob smacked. "You mean..."

"You don't mind..."

"Giving up your pay?"

"Of course not! My main goal is not earning money. But to ensure the safety of our friends."

"Alright! So you boss is now our boss!" The twins declared. "Ours too!" The rest of the friends agreed.

"Fred, I was thinking..."

"Watch out for magical exhaustion, my twin! Thinking is a dangerous exercise."

"Our boss seems to have charmed our dear Katie, and put safety of our friends above all. He seems to detest Voldemort, the Ministry and also Dumbledore and the Order. Makes me wonder how he knows about the Order. Also, he or maybe his family seems to know a lot about wards, probably having created some of these wards, to be able to offer them at such a rate. Do we know such a person?" George grinned.

Seeing the panicked look on Katie's face, Fred said, "We probably do, my twin! We probably do!" and grinned. "Don't worry Katie-kins, our boss' secret is safe with us!"


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11: The Challenge**

"Welcome to another meeting of the Order of the Phoenix", Dumbledore, who looked very well rested, declared. He looked at the members assembled in his office and asked them for their reports. "Severus, you look very smug today. Do you have anything to report?"

Severus changed his expression immediately to his trademark scowl. "I have not been summoned to the Dark Lord's side this week. I have however owled him a whole batch of strengthening solutions. Whatever the Potter brat has done to him, the Dark Lord has not recovered from it yet. There have also not been any attacks planned. About my smug expression earlier," the scowl on his face deepened, "I have received word from Gringotts that someone has bought many of the my charms that I had patented. So now I have a little more funding for my potions research."

"I didn't know you were into spell-crafting, Severus. What type of spells were they?", McGonagall commented.

"My youthful fancy, I am afraid. One of them is an anti-eavesdropping spell that I created. The other is _Scourgify_ that Lily Evans and I had created. How these spells can be used for any profit, I have no idea. Moreover, _Scourgify_ is so well known that I don't think you can regulate its use."

"Must be one of them damn philanthropists who think that spells should not be patented," commented Moody.

"Funny you should say that! I know who bought those spells." Everyone looked at Fleur Delacour for further explanation. "There were some transactions on the Black account and the Goblin told me that the monies were used to buy some patents. It probably has to do with some stipulations in Sirius' will. The Goblin told me that the date of the will reading will be announced very soon. They have a few more things to take care of."

"Never thought Sirius to be a philanthropist," mumbled Bill Weasley and quickly shut up on receiving the glare from his mom.

"Speaking of Gringotts, I have more to report." Fleur continued. "The whole Gringotts has been abuzz with activity for the last week. There is talk of new business coming in, but everyone has been pretty tight-lipped as to the source of it. I did overhear a Goblin talk about microfinance and its impact on wizarding economy. He even threw in a term 'social entrepreneurship' and I have no idea what that means. I can only assume that many small loans have been given out in the last week. There is also talk of Goblins changing their business model in response to deteriorating security conditions of the wizarding world. Does anybody know what that means?"

Everyone in the room had a pensive expression on their face. The headmaster replied, "I guess that the Goblins will have increased security in their lobby. They could be getting ready for war but we will have to wait for more information before we can understand what they mean. Bill did you have anything else to add to what Fleur reported?"

"I don't really deal much with finance, so I would not know anything. Not that it is unusual, but most of the curse breakers were asked not to schedule tomb-site excursions during the last week of August. So I will be in England during that week, in case you need any help with the escort. Also, again not so unusual, Charlie reported that Gringotts bought the whole body of a dragon that had recently died. Gringotts usually buys only the processed hide for its customers."

Albus was happy to have more help for the escort to Kings Cross station. "Thank you Bill. We will need more people for escort this year as we have to pick up Harry from Privet Drive this year. Speaking of Harry, do you have any reports?"

Tonks responded first. "Harry definitely looked much better this week. He seems to have come to terms with his godfather's passing. I am not sure how he will react to Sirius' will reading. I have seen him do a few chores in the garden. I have also see him eat and study. There haven't been any arguments with his relatives. All is truly quiet there."

"That's good to hear Nymphadora. Alastor, I believe you paid a visit to young Harry."

Moody cleared his throat and spoke in his gruff voice. "I paid him a visit alright! The first thing I noticed was that the wards around his home were much stronger. As I approached the door, I was surprised to see another blood ward, much stronger than the one you had cast Albus." Everyone was surprised by this revelation. "So I rang the bell and his aunt called him to check the door. Harry looked very happy when he greeted me and before he invited me in, he made sure that I was who I claimed to be. CONSTANT VIGILANCE! He sure has learnt his lesson well despite what the imposter taught him. He held my hand as we walked into the house, which means that only those who are invited will be able to enter his house."

"Looks like Harry has found a way to keep the Order out. He did say that the Order is not welcome in his home." Albus sighed. "But in a way, he is much safer now that he has acknowledged that place as his home."

"But who cast those blood wards?" Bill enquired.

Moody guffawed. "Harry told me that when Hermione had come to meet him for the meeting with his relatives, she had given him her notes on Blood wards that she had researched in the restricted section. And here is the kicker! Harry bound a house-Elf, Winky, as she was dying for lack of binding. Harry ordered her to read the notes and explain it to him. He then ordered his Elf to cast the ward with his blood, his aunt's blood and Elf's blood." Moody could not help laughing out loud.

Everyone was shocked at the revelation. Moody continued, "Whoever thought that an Elf could cast a blood ward. But then, Harry has always been resourceful."

"Wizards blood, muggle blood and Elf blood. Three bloods, that makes a very powerful ward. Blood ingenious I would say!" commented Bill joining in Moody's laughter.

"But otherwise, how is the poor dear?" enquired Molly.

"He is doing great. He is well fed, thanks to Winky. His room is much cleaner. When I asked him what his friends would say when they know about his house-Elf, Harry exclaimed and I quote, _'Please don't tell Hermione, she will kill me.'_" This brought up more chuckles in the room.

"Harry has a magical painting in his room, a scenery showing a huge patch of grass. It seems that occasionally a stag, a grim and a werewolf pop out of their hiding place and chase each other. Harry claimed that he clears his mind by staring at the painting for a couple of hours every day. An artist friend of his, Mr. Thomas painted the it for him before he left Hogwarts."

"Occlumency! That boy does not know anything about clearing his mind. Let alone.." Severus was interrupted by Dumbledore. "Severus, give the boy a chance."

Moody continued as if he had not been interrupted. "We continued talking and it was obvious that he was still pissed at the Order, but he was friendly and respectful towards me. He asked me stories of how I got my scars. He told me that he spent most of his time reading the other books Hermione left him on Arithmancy and Ancient Runes. Harry was fascinated by these subjects and wondered why in the world had he chosen divination." Minerva snorted at that. "Harry wants to take his OWLs in those subjects as a home schooled student at the end of this month. It felt as if he was informing me and not asking for our permission."

"Why that ungrateful brat!" Severus seethed. Albus put an end to his tantrum again. "Severus, if the boy wants to take more OWLs, we should encourage him. Alastor, will you be able to escort him for the examinations?"

Moody nodded and the rest of the discussion was on Giant movements, werewolves and vampires.

While the Order meeting was going on at Hogwarts, there was a different kind of meeting going on #4 Privet Drive, more specifically at the Den. Those attending the meeting include all the bonded, Dobby the Elf, Griphook and Ragnok. Winky served all of them refreshments.

"Harry, do you want to hear the updates of what we have been doing before 'The Challenge'?" Ragnok asked.

Griphook had explained that 'The Challenge' was a Goblin custom. The Goblins after assimilating the Goblin magic are given a challenge to come up with two new creative and financially viable solutions for real-world problems. The first solution was more of a theoretical one based on which, the Goblins were judged on analysis and critical thinking abilities. The second solution was to be a more applied one in which the Goblin was required to use the new skills they learnt.

Harry and the witches were very excited to take part in it. They realized that the collective knowledge of wizards/Elven/Goblin magic and wizarding/muggle/Elven/Goblin worlds that they had acquired, was very vast. They also realized that thanks to Goblin Occlumency, they had instant access to that knowledge and information. They had promised each other that they would share any new knowledge each had acquired, every night.

Harry looked at his witches and answered for all of them. "Ragnok, let us hear the updates now. I think we should leave the best for the last."

"We are doing good progress on setting up the Elf Life Foundation and the Welfare of Lycanthropes Foundation. We have acquired some property in Elf Alley and Knockturn Alley for their offices respectively. We haven't worked out the details of how to brew and distribute the Wolfsbane solution yet." Ragnok reported.

"That is excellent! Don't worry about the brewing. I have a solution for that one." Harry commented with a smug smile. The witches looked at him curiously.

"And I might have a solution with the distribution." Susan grinned. "But we will have to wait for the Challenge."

"Moving on, we have acquired a 85% stake in the Daily Prophet. The rest of the 15% is owned by the Longbottom family and Mrs. Longbottom stubbornly refuses to sell it."

"Oh! This is perfect." Harry exclaimed and all the witches joined him in laughter. "Neville Longbottom is a very good friend of mine and we should have no problem convincing her." Harry explained to Ragnok who was confused.

"Moving on, as you may recall, it was decided that your warding company will use seven different types of blood for its wards: muggle, squib, wizards or witches, Elf, Goblin, Basilisk and Dragon. We transported the 81-foot Basilisk and its shed skins from the Chamber of Secrets to a high-security vault in Gringotts. Dobby spelled all the residents of Hogwarts into a charmed sleep and jumped to the Chamber of Secrets based on your memories. After transporting the carcass, we extracted its blood. We also acquired a newly expired Hungarian Horntail from Romania and extracted its blood too. Where muggle or squib blood was not available, we used your uncle's and aunt's blood. Dobby had glamoured as you and paid them 1,000 pounds for a pint of their blood."

"Ha Ha! And they agreed to that?" Harry was more surprised than shocked.

"It was a 'piece of cake'! Anyway, the warding program has been going extremely well. We have 6 teams headed by Katie Bell, Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet, Lee Jordan and the Weasley Twins. I authorized Viperblade's suggestion that we give the others the same deal as we did Ms. Bell. I hope you approve of that. That is about 5,000 galleons more."

"Of course! Do you have any numbers of how many properties have been warded?" Harry enquired.

Ragnok had a big smile on his face. "Each team has had to ward about 13 properties per day. So a total of 81 homes have been warded. They have another 200 candidates identified and we will get them warded soon."

"No wonder I have felt a little weak this week." Harry muttered.

"Actually the Elves have been drawing magic from you, your witches and Dobby. Remember that Dobby can supply magic from his core now. At one point of time, Dobby felt it necessary to draw some magic from Hogwarts herself. Dumbledore noticed the very minimal weaking of the wards, but Dobby was able to give the magic back to Hogwarts during the day. If the school were in session, Hogwarts would have had much more ambient magic and you would hardly have noticed any drain." Ragnok explained.

"By the way, there were 8 students who could not sign the secrecy oath. Do you know what that means?" Ragnok enquired.

Harry sighed. "Yes I do. It means that either the student or someone close in his family is a supporter of Riddle or that the student believes in the pureblood agenda crap. Don't tell the team leaders though. We don't want to raise flags."

"Fair enough. Those students' memories were altered to ensure our operational secrecy. By the way, the twins have worked out who 'their boss' is. Also, they are in awe of the creator of the secrecy oath. They call her the oath goddess." Susan blushed at the praise. Harry chuckled and said, "I expected them to work it out."

"They have postponed their store opening to finish up the warding. They realize that they have a July 31st deadline. I expect that you would want them taking over your other business, _'21__st__ Century'_?" Rangok asked.

"Sometimes I wonder if there is something you don't know! I am not sure about them handling _21__st__ Century_ yet." Harry chuckled.

Ragnok smiled. "Onto the next business: wizarding construction. We have received the architectural designs for beach houses on your Caribbean island by the muggle architectural company that is aware of our world. We have also acquired large amounts of lands in Godric's Hollow adjacent to your lands as requested by you. We have bought the muggle homes in the village there at above market price and have obliviated them. They believe that the land was bought for a top-secret government project. We need architectural plans for the homes you want to construct in Godric's Hollow."

"My answer to the challenge should help you with that." Daphne said with a big smile.

"Brilliant, Daphne! I can't wait to see it." Daphne blushed at Harry's compliment.

"Moving on, we were able to acquire most of the patents for the charms you wanted. I think the Minister wants to make a Public Relations Spectacle of the money he demanded for leasing the voting charm. He has demanded 150,000 galleons and wants to claim that he is going to use it to improve the DMLE."

The voting charm was a charm created by Rowena Ravenclaw when the first government was created. All magical population used the charm to vote on important matters. With the nepotism in the Wizengamot and the increase in ignorance of the population, this practice was lost. Though Harry could have claimed the charm's patent by right of lineage, he did not want to out that information. This charm was one of the keys to make the ministry more accountable.

"Why not we hold out on him and appear hesitant? That way we can soften him up before acquiring the rights." Harry mused.

"We have two more items on the agenda before we move onto interesting things. Hogwarts letters are being prepared as we speak. They are sending out more than 250 letters to first years. More than 200 of them to _muggle-born_ students. They expect only 40-50 students to accept next year."

Harry sighed. "We are going to ensure that the numbers are close to atleast 200 this year. Hermione, could you add that to your wonderful planner and come up with a plan?"

"The last update is on Ministry and Hogwarts' Budgets. Griphook will be able to give you a self-updating folder for each along with vault transactions for all high level Ministry and Hogwarts board members."

"Excellent news Ragnok! I can't wait till we take over Daily Prophet and turn it into an honest newspaper." Harry and the witches were very pleased with the results. "Ragnok, how are you managing the increased workload because of the loans?"

Ragnok sighed. "We might have to hire new personnel to manage it. Almost all the Goblins are busy, so we may have to hire wizards."

Harry had a pensive expression on his face for a few seconds before he spoke out. "Ragnok, I may have a solution for your problem. Please hear me out because it goes against how you have been doing business all these years." Ragnok nodded.

"What is the most common business that wizards come to Gringotts for? Withdrawing money from their vaults of course. So if you make sure that wizards don't have to go to their vaults to withdraw money, you will save Goblin personnel who accompany each vault holder to their vault. You can do this by two ways. Either have a teller dispense galleons and deduct it from the respective vaults or distribute more of these money bags to customers so that they need not come to Gringotts to just withdraw money. You save on personnel costs and the customers save on time spent to withdraw money. The 50 galleons charge per money bag is exorbitant when it can be manufactured for less than half a galleon. As such you hardly manage to push one or two customers to buy the money bag every year. Imagine if you price the money bag at 1 galleon and more than 2000 customers buy it? Aren't you making more profit, saving personnel's time and customers' time?"

"It is very rare that I am shocked, Harry. This is one of the best ideas I have heard till date. I shall bring this up to the Goblin council and I am sure it will be implemented. You really are a very good Goblin-friend." Ragnok complimented Harry.

"Oh no! Most of these ideas are that of my witches. They like to sit back and relax as I present them. They are the ones you should compliment." The witches blushed at the praise. "But, as muggles say, _'Hold onto your horses, we aint done yet'_." Harry grinned.

Harry continued, "Provided the above has been accepted, here is a scenario. What is the single most reason for death eaters to attack Gringotts? For the gold obviously right?" Ragnok nodded. "Would it increase Gringotts' security if all the galleons, sickles and knuts are removed from each of the vaults and placed in huge vaults on an unknown island? The magic of the money bags will allow withdrawals and deposits and these transactions are recorded and balanced. With enough checks and balance, we can ensure that no frauds occur. Now the advantages of that is that, 1) you need not mint coins in the short term freeing up personnel 2) The personnel need not count coins in each vault for auditing purposes, thus saving time 3) You have more ready cash available for investments and loans and thus more profits."

Ragnok who had been standing all this while, staggered and reached out for a chair to sit on. "What more ideas will you folks cook up? This is amazing! But how will we travel to this island?"

"By magic of course. Using Elven magic, we can create a portal from Gringotts and no one will know the difference unless they come to the surface on the island."

"Amazing! I need to sit down for sometime. Why not we take a few minutes break before we move onto the challenge. I can't wait to see what ideas you have whipped up there." Rangok was grinning. It was truly disconcerting watching a Goblin grin.

"Welcome to _the Challenge_. Today I have two solutions for common problems we faced, or should I say, I faced in the wizarding world. I would like to do the demonstration part of my challenge first and then discuss the theoretical application in another setting."

Harry wheeled in a table covered with a huge white cloth. _"Got to love muggles, tables with wheels!"_ Ragnok chuckled.

"And here I present you an _'Enchanted potion maker'_." And with a flourish Harry whipped our the cloth to reveal a table with a cauldron sitting on a burner on it. There were many cylindrical bottles with ingredients placed in a cubbyhole cabinet on one side of the table. Next to that were various knives, ladles and a large pipette. On the other side of the table was an area with 10 empty vials in a box. Harry walked up to the center of the table, placed his hand on a rune and said "Create 10 vials of Hangover Potion with one dose per vial" and walked back to his chair and sat down.

A few seconds later, there was a protective ward that came up around the table. Pre-determined amount of ingredients flew out of the ingredient jars and the rune-enchanted knives started cutting and dicing them in the exact dimensions given in the recipe. The ingredients that needed to be ground flew into the mortar and the enchanted pestle started to grind them. The others in the room were gobsmacked and watched the process in fascination. It was a like symphony and the instruments working as if being directed by a silent conductor. The burner suddenly lit up and the ingredients started flying into the cauldron in the order they all remembered should happen. The ladle silently lifted itself and stirred the potion the appropriate number of clockwise and anti-clockwise turns. The burner regulated the temperature based on the thermometer readings.

At the exact time when it was supposed to be done, all activity ceased. The burner turned off and the ladle shook itself and was out of the cauldron. The pipette raised itself and carefully transferred 30 ml of the solution in each of the ten vials. As soon as this was done, there was a sudden bright light and all the knives, cutting surfaces, cauldron, ladles, mortar, pestle and pipette were magically cleaned and the ward disappeared. The only evidence of any activity was the box of 10 vials of perfectly colored Hangover Potion.

Harry walked up to dias and asked, "So any questions?"

The witches, Elves and Goblins were still in a state of shock. Hermione was the first to break the silence, "Harry, do you realize that you have done the impossible?"

"I know I am not as good as you at potions Hermione, but sometimes I get lucky at creating the perfect potion." Harry joked.

"Not that you dufus! It is impossible to enchant anything to do so many tasks in a sequential order! Didn't you know that?" Hermione yelled frustrated.

"Is this your excuse to get out of NEWT potions Harry?" Daphne quipped and the whole room was rolling in laughter.

"So how did you do it?" Ragnok asked.

"There is nothing impossible with enchanting each instrument to do a single job right?" Harry explained. "It is pretty easy to charm a knife to cut what is on the table. It is easy to enchant the burner to turn on and turn off. What I used was something that my mother created. It is called a _Magical Construct_. Imagine it as a piece of parchment on which you write detailed instructions, i.e. a series of steps, with one enchantment per step. Then you set a power-rune to do all these steps in the magical construct. You can also have conditional steps, i.e. you can ask the construct to do exactly what you want to do at the exact time under the exact conditions. Pretty simple actually once you understand it. It has just never been done on potions equipment before."

"So it has been done on something else?" enquired Hermione.

"You never miss anything do you, Hermione?" Harry grinned. "Of course it has been done. The result is 'the Marauders Map'." Harry accioed the map from his room, tapped the parchment and the map of Hogwarts activated itself. "Silent incantations! I am impressed Harry!" remarked Hermione and Harry grinned further.

"Anyway, now that you have seen this work, do we really need potions masters to brew Wolfsbane for us? Heck, we could even open a potions factory and create and sell every potion. They will always be perfect." The Goblin's ears perked at the sound of a newer business. "We could wreck the lives of the death eater potion masters. The other good ones will be free to do research and create better and newer potions."

"Harry, if you could add an Arithmantic probe to the cauldron, we could probably be able to tweak all existing potions to taste and work better." Daphne remarked.

"Arithmancy of Potions? No idea what you mean! But if you can make any healing potion taste better, I will personally certify you as a genius!" Daphne blushed at the praise.

"Now onto my first part of the challenge, imagine using this magical construct on broomsticks or even portkeys. The portkeys are simple to explain. Based on the criteria, the construct will decide where and when the subject needs to be portkeyed. The broomstick is a little more complicated. The construct can automatically fix damaged or broken twigs, wax the broom, adjust to single or multiuser broom, apply and remove acceleration, braking, balance charms to name a few. You will never have to worry about the broom becoming old or charms fading. The broomsticks can automatically shrink and expand when required. My next project will be to collaborate with a broomstick designer to create the ultimate broom. Anybody we can tempt away from Nimbus, Firebolt or Cleansweep?"

Ragnok laughed and said, "I will see what I can do. But that was amazing! I have never seen a solution like this."

"Hold your horses Ragnok, wait till the ladies finish. My ideas will seem too pedestrian once they are done." Harry laughed. He was hugged and kissed by each of his witches for a job well done.

It was Luna's turn next. "I am going to present my theoretical solution first as the practical demonstration is more of an early birthday present to Harry." Luna said in her characteristic dreamy voice. "Now, which muggle disease does Lycanthropy closely resemble in physiology? Any guesses?"

Seeing the confused looks on the audience, Luna asked, "How about Canine Rabies? Does anyone know what happens in Rabies? Before Hermione starts on a lecture on Rabies, let me explain." Everyone chuckled while Hermione scowled. "Aww Hermione, you know I love you," Luna said dreamily.

"When a dog is bitten by a rabid dog, the germs that are there in the saliva of the rabid dog are injected into the tissue that has been bitten. From here the germs travel through the nerves to the brain of the dog that has been bitten. These germs then take over parts of the brain that cause aggression and biting behavior in the bitten dog. The germs also travel to the salivary glands and multiply. So when the bitten dog shows aggressive behavior and bites other dogs and animals, the germs in the saliva get transferred to other animals or humans."

"Now, comparing rabies and Lycanthropy, both are transmitted through saliva and bites. Both animals tend to become aggressive. The difference is that lycanthropes become aggressive only during full moon, and full moon is a trigger. I tried to find the history of werewolves and unfortunately I didn't have much luck. What if a wolf Animagus was bitten by a rabid dog or cursed by his enemy to create the first werewolf?"

Everyone was deep in thought considering the possibilities of such a theory. "Now, how do Muggles treat rabies? Muggle scientists injected small amounts of the germ into horses so that they produce something called antibodies in their blood that kill the germs. The scientists extracted the antibodies from these horses and purified them as a cure. This cure is injected into humans who have been bitten by rabid dogs, thus killing the germs from the bite. While the mortality of humans bitten by rabid dogs untreated is 100%, the mortality from treated bites is significantly low."

"So why not we collect some werewolf saliva and send it to a muggle lab and ask them to create the antibodies for us? We could then try to inject it into werewolves and see if it can kill the germs in their saliva, thus rendering them non-infective? Maybe the aggression will also come down and we will be able to break the lunar curse. In the meantime, maybe we can create a potion that makes the transformation painless. We could look at Animagus transformations potions to see if there is a solution." Luna asked looking at Daphne.

The audience stood up and gave Luna a standing ovation! "That was awesome Luna! What about your practical solution?" Harry asked. Luna pulled out a box from her pocket and gave it to Harry. "Its time to bring out the color in those beautiful eyes Harry! Harry Birthday" Luna hugged him and gave a kiss.

Harry opened the box to find a pair of contact lenses. "Magical contact lenses Harry. They have all the charms like Mad-eyes magic eye. After all, most of those charms were invented by my mother."

"Woo hoo! I have always wanted contact lenses!" Harry squealed. Luna handed similar boxes to the other witches too. "We can't let Harry have all the fun, can we?" She asked with a smile.

Hermione walked onto the stage next and wheeled in another table with wheels covered by a large white cloth. "My practical part is pretty simple. If you will indulge me a little." She pulled out her wand and put it to her temple and extracted a memory. She placed the memory on an Elven memory orb which absorbed it immediately. She placed the memory orb in the center of a circular plate which had a groove to support the orb. The plate had many runes etched on it. She walked over to the table on the stage and removed the white cloth to reveal a large rectangular black box. She walked back to her chair holding the circular plate and activated a rune. "Enjoy!" was all she said.

Suddenly the black box came alive and started showing the crowd the events that lead to the Golden trio saving the philosopher's stone. 20 minutes later, the audience stood up and gave her a standing ovation. "Now, we can make it much better thanks to Harry's magical construct. Imagine we use this to create an audio-visual distribution of news, Quidditch, lessons, warnings, anything! I present to you the prototype of magical television called _'Wizion'_."

"Hermione's demonstration is going to tie in so well with what I have to demonstrate". Susan said as she walked up to the table on the Dias and placed a mat on it. She then walked up to each person in the room and placed a similar mat in front of them. She went back to the table on the dias and conjured a heart-shaped cushion and placed it on her mat. She tapped the mat with her wand and said _'Send To Harry'_. The next moment the cushion disappeared from her mat and reappeared on the mat in front of Harry. The audience were suddenly excited. Harry whipped out his wand and tapped the mat and said _'Send To Ragnok'_ and it appeared on the mat in front of Ragnok.

"Now imagine Hermione's invention and make it a virtual shopping network that uses my invention to move merchandise around."

The room suddenly went silent. There was pin-drop silence in the room. Ragnok shook his head said, "I have had too many mental concepts broken today! You mean, you want to sell your merchandize without having a shop and not meeting customers. And your invention will let you do it!"

"Of course!" Susan grinned. "Imagine the number of things I can easily shop for! But to give credit Ragnok, this concept is a muggle invention called Internet shopping. The Internet stores mail the merchandize. Hey, We can use this method to move our post too. We wont have to worry about our owls being intercepted."

"You could also use these runes to distribute Wolfsbane potion without actually having to meet the Lycanthropes ." Hermione exclaimed and Susan nodded, her face adorned with a big grin.

"Now for my theoretical aspect. I actually have worked it out practically, at least a little." She transfigured the cushion into a small turtle. Then she tapped the mat with her wand and said _'Send To Hermione'_. The turtle disappeared and reappeared in front of Hermione. "Here is an alternative to Flooing! Harry would love this. No more falling on your face." Susan sniggered. "I haven't worked out all the runes for transporting heavier animals yet. These runes are powered by dragon blood. So we will need a lot of it if we are going to start a new business."

The audience were stunned at the alternative to flooing. That means it was yet another thing that the ministry was going to lose control over. They all stood up and gave her a standing ovation.

Daphne walked up to the stage and said, "I will show you the practical solution first and save the best for last." She carried a plate and placed it the table on the Dias. "Come on over, we are going to take a tour of my home before it was destroyed." She touched a rune and activated it. Suddenly a holographic miniature model of a house sprung up. "Touch the plate anywhere and say _'Let me in'_." When everyone did that, they felt a sucking sensation and they were transported into the architectural pensieve. They took their time looking around the house and appreciating the beauty of the house. "To get out, just say _'Let me out'_", instructed Daphne.

"That was amazing Daphne! It will make our construction business much easier. Can you modify the house while you are in there?" Daphne nodded.

"If this was not the best, I wonder what your theoretical solution woul be! That was amazing." Hermione, Luna and Susan complimented Daphne.

"Okay, now for my theoretical solution!" Daphne grinned! Everyone looked at her excitedly!

"Harry, could you please conjure a snake and tell it not to attack anyone?" Daphne requested.

Wondering what it was all about, Harry did as she requested. She looked at the snake and said in English, "Hello snake, do you understand me?" Not receiving a response, she looked at her audience and said, "Obviously no response as I am not a Parseltongue. Now, wait a minute." She closed her eyes and went into a meditative trance. She opened her eyes and with a smile looked at the snake and spoke in Parseltongue, "Hello snake, do you understand me?" Now the snake responded with a hiss.

"BLOODY HELL!" exclaimed Harry jumping out of his chair. "How did it happen?"

"Hold on, Harry!" Daphne joked. "I am not done yet!" She again closed her eyes and went into a meditative trance and a few minutes later, she opened her eyes. She looked at the snake and spoke perfect English, "You don't understand me now, do you?"

Everyone was gob smacked at what Daphne had done. "How?" was the only word they could vocalize.

"Well, here is the explanation. Do you remember when we learnt Goblin Occlumency from Griphook, we saw multiple colors in our magic core and then created windows of them in our meeting rooms?" Everyone nodded. "It so happens that each of those colored magics are some trait that we inherit or acquire. One of the colored magics in Harry's core was the knowledge of Parseltongue. Since we all share our magic cores with Harry, I went to Harry's meeting room, and swam out into his magic through his window and willed my magic to replicate it in my core. And lo! I had the ability to speak Parseltongue."

"But it still does not explain how you could shut it off." Hermione asked.

"Good point Hermione! What I did was applied a binding on the Parseltongue magic that I duplicated in my core and I am able to open and close this binding at will. So what does that mean?" Daphne asked a rhetorical question. "What it means is that, werewolves and Veela could be able to control their werewolf transformation magic and Veela allure magic if we teach them Goblin Occlumency. We could teach this to the house Elves and see if they can will their bindings be broken."

"MERLIN! That is amazing!" Everyone spontaneously stood up and gave her a long standing ovation. Daphne blushed at the praise. "Ragnok, can we license both the Goblin knowledge potion recipe and Goblin Occlumency techniques for use to improve our world?"

Ragnok was still speechless. He shook his head as if to rearrange the cells in his brain. "I will ask the council. They should be willing if you offer them more business or more gold. I think I need to go back and sip some Goblin liquor. Today was a crazy day for me! You all are amazing. Harry, before I leave, the centaurs of the forbidden forest wanted to meet you. You may send a house-Elf to arrange the best time to meet them. Don't send Dobby as he cannot be a messenger."

"Thank you Ragnok! It was a pleasure having you over."


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12: Secret To A Happy Life**

Harry sat alone on the sofa that evening and thought about how his life had changed. He could not believe that he had been a moody, irritable and depressed boy he had been. Life definitely changed for the better. He still missed Sirius and couldn't help chuckling that the Marauders would be proud of him. After all, he was pulling the biggest prank on this world. Sirius, who was known for the frequency with which he changed his girlfriends, would definitely have appreciated the fact that he now had four wives who loved him. _Wait, when did I start to think of my bond-mates as wives?_ His thoughts drifted back to Voldemort and wondered what he was doing. He wondered where he was going to attack next. Most of the DA's homes have been warded. The only exceptions had been Hermione's parents home, as they were currently on vacation and Neville's which Harry vowed to rectify that in a day or two.

He made a list of probable Voldemort's targets and came up with: DA members homes, Other Slytherins who did not join Voldemort, Diagon Alley, Ministry, Order Members, Azkaban, Gringotts and finally Hogwarts. He wondered about how he could salvage businesses in Diagon and Nocturn Alleys that did not support the dark forces. Unfortunately most of the real estate of those shops were owned by Death Eaters and hence every business in Diagon Alley was now contributing galleons to the Dark Lords coffers.

Harry was so lost in his thought that he did not realized when Daphne had come over and cuddled with him on the sofa. Harry had unconsciously pulled her closer. Daphne interrupted him by asking, "Harry, what are you thinking about?"

"Hey Daph! I didn't realize when you came over here!" He pulled her closer and kissed her forehead and Daphne sighed contently. "Daphne, is anything the matter?"

"No Harry! Its a girl thing. You wouldn't understand." Daphne mumbled into his chest. Her head fitted nicely in the space between his left collarbone and his neck. "Try me Daphne! As you know, I am not your typical guy."

"Well, we witches missed you. I know we are together most of the day, but we miss having a one-on-one emotional exchange sessions with you. But I am content now. This amount of cuddling will do for the next one week." Daphne joked.

"You are right Daphne! I haven't been a good friend. I never realized that I was only taking emotional support from you all and not been giving. Thank you for pointing it out to me. I like cuddling with you too. Wonder what I did to deserve such a smart and beautiful girl as my wife?" Harry pulled her closer and she moved onto his lap. Harry didn't see a smile form on Daphne's face when he called her his wife.

"Umm... Would you prefer me in this position or would you want it to be Tracey?" Harry joked which earned a swat from Daphne on his wrist. "You know the answer to that question Harry" Daphne said sultrily and snuggled in closer and Harry's body couldn't help but react to Daphne's teasing. "Looks like somebody down south likes it too!" Harry face flushed red with embarrassment. "It's normal for you guys to be excited Harry! Don't be so embarrassed."

Harry desperately needed to concentrate on something else. "Daphne, we never did have a talk about Tracey. As I said earlier, I don't mind if you want to see Tracey exclusively. I wont even mind if you wish to be in both relationships. I have already told you my limits on physical relationships. But please do not insist on a Ménage-e-trois with her. I don't think our other bondmates would appreciate that." Harry laughed. "But seriously, have you given it any thought?"

"Yes Harry, I did, but I am still confused. A primary reason why I started a relationship with a girl was that I felt that I was not attracted to a boy. Tracey felt that way too. After the bonding, I realized that I only felt that way because of the enchantments. Now I am confused because I like being with a man, but I don't want to abandon her. She has been my only friend for many years." Daphne explained. "And don't worry about Ménage-e-trois, she never liked you that way. She used to say that if she were a bisexual, she would probably hook up with someone like Neville. She thought that you were too flashy for her tastes!" Daphne grinned.

"Flashy? Moi?" Harry spluttered. Then he grinned and said, "Neville, huh? Maybe we should set them up. He sure could use the extra confidence you get with having a girlfriend." Daphne grinned at the plan too. "Say Daphne, did you guys check Tracey for any chastity enchantments too?"

Daphne suddenly shot out of the sofa and landed on her feet. "Harry, I can't believe we haven't done that! That is a wonderful idea! Do you want to go on an adventure?" Daphne grinned like a Cheshire cat. Seeing the confused expression on Harry's face she explained. "Remember how we witches linked our meeting rooms with each other?" Harry nodded.

"Tracey and I had made an oath when we were children and I used it to create a connection with her. We can't reach each others magical core, but I can try and visualize her core. Do you want to see if there are any bindings around her core?" Harry grinned at the brilliant idea and asked, "Does that mean that you both are soul-bonded too?"

"No Harry! we just have a connection that can easily be broken. Only soul bonded people can visit each others magic core. So are you ready?"

Harry and Daphne sat down on the sofa and went into a meditative state. Harry reached across Daphne's door and crossed into her meeting room. He was surprised to see that it was the shape of the living room of the Den. It had the same furniture and they both decided to sit down on the couch on the mental plane too. "Very cozy Daphne! I am surprised at what you chose though."

Daphne smiled and said, "I chose it because I consider the Den my home. I don't want to live in a huge impersonal mansion, but live in a cozy place with the people I love and doing things I love." Harry reached across and gave Daphne a hug.

"Let me call Tracey!" Daphne sat back and concentrated on Tracey. "Hi Tracey Darling! How are you doing?" she said. Harry was surprised to hear Tracey's voice loud and clear, "Daphne Babyyyyy!" She squealed! "I was just thinking about you! I am in my bedroom, naked on my bed hugging a picture of you."

"Too much information darling! I am here with a friend who taught me this technique to communicate with you. Tracey meet James, James meet Tracey. I trust him with my life. He suggested that we should check your magical core for any enchantments and bindings just like mine. Do you trust me Tracey?"

Harry was surprised at how easily Daphne made up the story. Then he realized that she did the right thing. He did not want his bonding-status to be known to a lot of people. "Hi Tracey! I am James."

"Hi James! It is good to meet you. I am surprised that Daphne has made a new friend. I thought that it was impossible. But I am happy for her. I will get the full story later from her! wink! wink! And if Daphne trusts you with her life, I trust you too. So go ahead and do your magic." Tracey turned out to be a really jovial person.

"Alright Tracey, I want you to relax. This may feel a little weird and maybe slightly painful." Daphne commented as she concentrated to visualize Tracey's magic core. Harry suddenly blanched when he realized that this must be what Voldemort must be doing to send him bad dreams. He was soon brought of his reverie when a holographic image started forming in front of them. As the image cleared, they visualized Tracey's core as a huge bunch of bamboo stems. Around the collection of the stems, there were 5 bands of multi colored ropes keeping them tied up as a bunch. Daphne gasped when she saw this.

"That really felt very weird you know! It felt like I was being pulled out of my body. Once that feeling settled, it was like I could almost feel you both in a room. Is that supposed to happen? Are there any bindings?"

Daphne nearly choked when she gave her best friend the bad news. "Yes Tracey, there are at least 5 bindings and enchantments around your core. But don't you worry! I will teach you how to break them if that is the last thing I do."

"I am not surprised! My grandfather was a sexist and he believed that women should never be stronger than men! Dirty pig that he was. For all you know, I could also be under similar enchantments like you. So when can I meet you? You have been gone so long!"

"Patience my darling! Patience. We have to go now, doing this exercise has really drained of my magic. Take care Tracey."

Harry and Daphne moved back to the real world. Daphne slid back into Harry's lap, hugged him hard and cried for her friend. Harry held on to her and comforted her. He kissed her forehead and whispered, "I love you Daphne, and I promise that I will help your friend." Very soon, both Harry and Daphne drifted off to sleep in that position.

Harry and Daphne were jerked out of their peaceful slumber when they heard a very loud, "Awwwwwwwwwwwww! Look at you! You both look so cute!" This caused Daphne to blush a Weasley red. "Where is a camera when you need one?" Susan dug through her bag and found a camera. Before she could take any pictures, Harry tackled her and after throwing the camera on the couch, he dropped her on the carpet and tickled her. Daphne initially embarrassed at being caught like that, got over it quickly and started laughing along with them.

After many minutes of tickling, Susan conceded and said, "I give! Please stop tickling Harry." When Harry finally stopped, they both realized the position they were in. Harry was lying on top of Susan and Susan had her legs wrapped around his hips. Harry blushed when he realized that. "I wouldn't mind being in this position often you know!" Susan joked. "SUSAN! You are incorrigible!" Harry started the ticking once again and kissed her on her lips before finally disentangled himself from her. Little did they know that Daphne had documented the whole thing on camera while they were busy.

They were interrupted when Dobby popped in and said, "Master, you are needed upstairs, your aunt in trouble!" Harry, Susan, Daphne and Dobby made a circle by linking their hands together and disappeared from the Den with a faint pop and reappeared in Harry's old bedroom.

When Harry and the two witches entered Uncle Vernon's bedroom, he found his aunt whimpering in a corner of the room. His uncle's face was purple in color and he held his belt in his hand ready to use it on his wife. "Stun him!" was all Harry said, when both the witches pulled out their wands in a smooth motion and sent Vernon Drusley into the wall. Dudley hearing Harry's voice ran into the room in rage. "How dare you freak!" was all he managed to say before both the witches stunned him too. Daphne and Susan thanked Merlin for small favors, for if Harry had stunned them, they would not have been alive.

Harry walked to his Aunt and kneeled down beside her. He gathered her in his arms and gave her a hug. "Harry! Help me from them please!" she pleaded and sobbed. Harry held onto his sobbing aunt as she cried herself to sleep. Harry nodded to Dobby, who held onto him and popped him and his aunt into one of the guest bedrooms in the Den. Winky brought a vial of Dreamless sleep potion which he gently coaxed his aunt to drink. She was out within a minute.

The next morning, Harry woke up early and disentangled himself from the various bodies that held him. He walked towards his aunt's bedroom and he heard her sobbing. He walked in and hugged his aunt. "It is alright Auntie. I promise that I am going to protect you from those goons."

Aunt Petunia sobbed harder. "I am sorry, Harry. I was not strong enough. I let him do all those nasty things to you. It is a wonder how you are not a psychopath."

"All is forgiven, Auntie. You have never scolded me or beat me, except when Vernon forced you to. But all along, it was Vernon and Dudley who bullied me. I didn't realize until today that you were a victim in that household as well. You have actually been extra nice to me when these two were not around. I am sorry that I did not help you earlier."

Aunt Petunia looked at Harry in shock when she heard him apologizing. "What a sweet boy you turned out to be! Lily would have been proud of you." Petunia hugged him back with pride.

Harry had to ask the inevitable. "Auntie, you are welcome to stay with me for as long as you want. Now I need to know what you want to do with Vernon, so that I can make the arrangements."

"I want him out of my life! I want to divorce him. I have had enough of his abuse." Petunia said with conviction.

"Excellent! What about Dudley?" Harry asked hesitantly.

"There was never a question. Dudley is not my son. Vernon refused to let me adopt him." Petunia sighed.

"WHAT?? What do you mean?"

"Around the time your mother was pregnant with you, both I and Vernon's mistress were pregnant. My child was magical and I showed various signs of magic. Vernon called me a freak and beat me and starved me. I had difficulty during my labor and my child was a stillborn. I went into a post-partum depression. Vernon brought his mistress' son to me to bring me out of the depression. I so wanted to have a child that I begged Vernon to let Dudley stay with us. I was forever afraid that Vernon would make Dudley go away if I did not do as he asked. I was afraid to go back into depression. Dudley is Vernon and Marge's son."

"WHAT?? I thought Marge was Vernon's sister!"

"You are such a naive boy! Why do you think I was so obsessed with being normal? Because my life was abnormal. I was so scared of anyone knowing about the reality of my situation."

"Auntie, Vernon endangered two magical children and is indirectly responsible for killing one of them. He should be tried in the magical court. As I have been named a Goblin-friend, I think they will try him for crimes against us both." Petunia shuddered at Goblin justice. "I want him to permanently stop hurting everyone. If he loses his life, so be it. I thought that by paying him off, he would behave himself. Apparently I was wrong."

Petunia looked at Harry with a newfound respect. "I agree with you Harry. Can you memory charm Dudley and Marge so that they will live together?"

"Yes Auntie, we can manage that. Umm... I have one more question that I wanted to ask you for a really long time. May I ask?" Petunia nodded.

"Why do you hate my mother so much?" Harry asked innocently.

"Harry, have you ever wondered why your mother and I look so different? She was the beautiful little girl while I was a horse-faced giraffe? My whole family had red hair, while my hair changed color to blonde around the time when my features changed?"

"Auntie, are you saying that you were not born with blonde hair?" Harry enquired.

"Of course not! But no one would listen to me. How can someone have blonde hair on their head, but still have red hair at other places on their body?" Petunia asked.

Harry flushed when he understood what his aunt meant. "What age did this happen after? Did you two have a fight before it happened?"

"Umm... I was 7 and your mother was 4. We did have a major fight over a teddy bear. I got so angry that I threw her teddy bear into our fireplace. All I remember was that something happened and I fainted. Over the next few months, my hair color and my features changed. Everyone thought that it was normal. I hated my new look and I was jealous of my pretty little sister. My parents doted on her when they found out that she was a witch. But how much ever I hated her, I would never have done what was done to you to her son. I am sorry that I was not strong enough to stand up to Vernon."

"Auntie, I think my mother did accidental magic when you had a fight. It is surprising that it was never detected and reversed. It might be possible to change you back to how you are supposed to look. Do you want me to try it?" Petunia looked at him wide-eyed and all she could do was nod.

"Winky!" Harry called the Elf. "Winky, could you see if my aunt has any left over traces of magic from her childhood? It seems that my mother did some accidental magic on her which was never reversed."

"Yes Master." Winky concentrated on Aunt Petunia who started changing. Her blond straight hair changed into wavy red locks. Her horse-shaped face changed into a more attractive oval face. Her eyes changed to a lighter green color. Her neck was more proportionate to her body now. She looked like a very attractive middle-aged lady.

When the transformation was complete, Winky gasped and said, "Priscilla Crouch?"

"My mother's name was Priscilla Evans. I don't know her maiden name. We never really discussed her family much, Winky, is it?"

"Yes Mistress Crouch!" Winky did a courtesy. "You are my old master's sister's daughter. Your mother was thrown out of her family as she was a squib. That is why you are a squib too." Winky said.

"Wow! Auntie, you look beautiful! You look just like mom!" Petunia for the first time in many years blushed at the compliments. "This solves a question I had Auntie. When Winky first told me that you were a squib, I wondered how you would have had magical blood. A squib is a non-magical person born to magical parents. Unfortunately, prejudices run high in the wizarding society and squibs are not treated on par with witches and wizards. We had wizarding relatives but they are all dead. Winky used to work with them. Mr. Bartemius Crouch, your mother's brother, was a chief Auror, notorious for capturing death eaters and his stint at the Ministry was cut down when his son, Crouch Junior, was outted as a death eater. His wife died of some illness. and his son Barty are both dead. Crouch Senior was responsible for imprisoning my godfather Sirius Black for 12 years in Azkaban without giving him a trial. But before we go any further, I guess we should get Gringotts to confirm your mother's identity for us. Why not we move to the dining room for some breakfast and I will introduce you to my friends?"

Harry and his aunt walked into the dining room where the four witches were already seated at the table. "Auntie, I would like to introduce you to my four wives. Everyone, meet my Auntie."

"Four wives?" Aunt Petunia fainted.

Harry enervated his aunt and proceeded to tell her the story of his life. As expected, she was angry, happy, scared and shocked at various parts of the story. Following an emotional 4 hours of listening to the story of her nephew, Petunia retired to her bedroom which Harry went in search of his wives.

Harry found Hermione in the library where she was furiously working on some runes and charms. She also had sheets of Arithmantic equations that she was working on. Not wanting to disturb her, Harry stood behind her chair and gave her a neck massage. Hermione initially surprised at his ministrations, finally learnt to relax. Harry silently transfigured her chair into a recliner and then into a soft bed and continued to massage her whole back. Neither Hermione nor Harry realized that Harry was pushing some magic wandlessly through his finger tips making her muscles relax.

"Harry?"

"Yes, Hermione?"

"Why did you never fight Ron when he tried to stake his claim over me?"

Harry recollected the conversation he had with Ron after the Yule Ball. Harry had earlier suspected that Ron liked Hermione and Ron had confirmed that during that conversation. He never really thought about why he let Ron stake his claim.

Hermione interrupted his thoughts. "Harry, I might have a theory to explain your behavior."

At Harry's urging, Hermione continued. "Harry, imagine a life with multiple siblings. There is a constant need to establish yourself in the pecking order. Who wants what present, who gets chosen to do a particular chore, who gets to go somewhere and who gets left behind. There is always a constant competition among siblings and it is a common occurance that the earlier you stake a claim for something you want, it is possible you will get it. That is the reality of Ron's life."

Harry had never analyzed a life with siblings. "Umm..."

Hermione continued. "Now, I have two theories to explain your reactions to Ron's behavior. First, you are an only child and hence learnt early on to share your things with others, lest others abandon you. You were hardly in situations where you staked your claim on things. You learnt to accommodate others and you expect that others will accommodate you. And trust me, Ron has never been taught that life lesson." Hermione chuckled. "Does that explain why Ron gives you Cannons stuff for your birthday?"

Harry became pensive on hearing her thoughts. He continued massaging Hermione's back. "That sure explains how Ron dictates what we do during our free time or when we are lazing around. It is always things that he likes to do, chess or talk about Quidditch. You said something about another theory?"

"Well, the other theory explains why you are so willing to support or forgive him. Remember the Firebolt incident? Or how your behavior reverted back to lazing around as soon as Ron apologized after the first task."

Harry's only reaction was a momentary slowing of his massaging. "I believe that you were so attached to the concept of having a friend, that you were willing to excuse any kind of behavior from him. This could be explained by the fact that Dudley and his gang never let you have friends. So you really did not want to lose Ron. You failed to realize that you could have other friends who were more loyal than him. Also, subconsciously, I think you related to Ron when you first met him. You both were poor, you both were oppressed. You by Dudley's gang and he by the pressure of living up to his other more successful brothers. So it was much easier to just go along with his prejudices against Slytherin house or against bossy know-it-alls and be as lazy as he was."

Harry was amazed at how accurate Hermione's theories sounded. "Or it could be that you were fed a loyalty potion keyed to Ron."

There was a long silence following that. Within 20 minutes, Hermione's breathing indicated that she was fast asleep. Harry smiled at the reaction and bent down and kissed her cheek, before covering her with a blanket, silently closing the door and walking out in search of Luna.

Harry spotted Luna lying down on the king-sized bed in the bedroom reading her fathers publication, the Quibbler upside down. Harry crawled into bed behind her and snuggled into her, barely noticing her muscles tensing when he did so. She did not even bat an eyelid before turning around and hugged him. She moved one of her hands to his head and started playing with his hair. Very soon, he was almost in the same relaxed state of Hermione.

"Everything okay Harry?" Luna asked in a soft voice. "I just felt that I was ignoring my wives. So I made a resolution to at least spend some quality time with each of you everyday."

"That is wonderful Harry! Thank you" She leaned over and kissed his nose.

"Umm.. Luna, would you want to come with me to the meet the centaurs?"

"I think that is a brilliant idea Harry", Luna beamed happily. Harry had never invited her to do anything with him. He had always maintained a courteous distance in the past.

_Four witches happy in one day! What more can a guy want?'_ was the last thought Harry had before drifting off to a relaxed sleep.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13: Negotiations**

"YOU WANT TO DO WHAT??" A very livid Mrs. Augusta Longbottom screeched. Seeing her reaction, Harry was convinced of all the stories about Mrs. Longbottom and her temper. A naughty idea of pitting either Dumbledore or Voldemort against her and watching them squirm suddenly popped up in his head and Harry had a very tough time maintaining a composed exterior.

"Take it easy Mrs. Longbottom! Let me explain." Harry tried to calm her down. _'What's with witches and their tempers!'_ He wondered.

"You better explain yourself, Mr. Potter." She said sternly. Harry had requested the Goblins to arrange this meeting with Mrs. Longbottom. She had received a letter from Ragnok explaining to her that they would discuss the future of the Daily Prophet at the meeting. Mrs. Longbottom had always been the dissenting voice at such meetings. The paper was not doing well financially and she had many a bone to pick with the owners, Mr. Edward Trenton, Mr. Tiberius Ogden and Mr. Guiseppe Morticelli, on their views of how to run the business. As she was the minority owner, she was always over-ruled. She had expected to meet those 'incompetent buffoons', as she called them, but was surprised to meet the boy-who-lived there. She wondered if all those reports about Harry Potter being an attention seeking brat were true and this was an attempt to do so. He had no other business to call this meeting.

"Mrs. Longbottom, I am not sure if the Goblins told you this, but I am the 85% owner of the Daily Prophet." Mrs. Longbottom's raised her eyebrows in surprise on hearing the news. "I would have been a 100% owner had you not been so adament about not selling your share. Could you please tell me why you don't want to sell your share to me?"

"Let me get this right! You want me to sell you my share of the paper so that you can kill the Daily Prophet! Why would I do that when the wizarding world needs a form of dissemination of information. I agree that Daily Prophet has been biased, but that does not mean that I should entertain 'fantasies of revenge' by some attention-seeking-minor. Am I not supposed to have this discussion with your guardians?" Mrs. Longbottom sneered.

"Whoa! Such hostility! " Harry said in a calm voice."Tell me Mrs. Longbottom, are you as biased as the readers of your publication? Do you believe in all the crap spewed by reporters like Rita Skeeter? And who ever told you that I want to do it out of revenge? And is it a 'genetic trait' of all light-sided families to jump to conclusions without knowing all the facts? Is that why your ex-owners, who were all Slytherins and from traditional dark families, over-ruled every suggestion you have made till date? Are you going to be this difficult every time I bring up a new idea?"

In her more than a hundred years life, Mrs. Longbottom had never been put in place like this, and that too by a soon to be 16-year year old. She realized that she will have to do some soul-searching about her attitude while dealing with this young man. "I am sorry Mr. Potter. My reaction was uncalled for. Why not you tell me your idea and we will try to discuss this amiably."

"Thank you ma'am. Would you please call me Harry? I am as old as your grandson, who by the way, is a great friend of mine." Harry, the epitome of politeness, requested. "The Daily Prophet is currently the largest circulation in the British wizarding world but in terms of accuracy of the news they report, they are the worst. The sales and subscriptions are currently at an all time low. The name 'Daily Prophet' has become synonymous with a bunch of lies. It has become a propaganda machine for a corrupt Ministry. I wish our publication to report the truth and expose all the Ministry goof-ups and cover-ups. The public need to know the truth and our newspaper will let them know. Do you agree with MY overall goal for the newspaper?"

"Or course I do. That is what I have been fighting for all these years." Mrs. Longbottom was highly intrigued by this young man now. "I have fought with the ex-owners at every meeting that we should move away from the Ministry influence. I was shot down every time because the old crowd feared that we will lose the funding we receive from the Ministry. You do know that the Ministry bears 25% of the operating costs of the publication?" Mrs. Longbottom enquired.

"Yes Maam, I do. They fund 150,000 galleons a year and I can easily manage to fund that much each year, but I wont have to if you agree with my proposal. Tell me, Mrs. Longbottom. Are you in this venture for making a profit?"

"Definitely not! Otherwise I would have liquidated my share ages ago." Mrs. Longbottom huffed. "In fact, I have been donating 100,000 galleons a year and I hope I wont have to shell down more than that with this new plan."

"No Maam! You wont have to. In fact I assure you that you will receive a profit. Mrs. Longbottom, do you know the breakup of the operating costs?" Mrs. Longbottom nodded.

Harry continued, "The bulk of the money goes for parchment, ink and printing costs. We have 10 employees on the printing floor and 5 editors. We pay 100,000 galleons per year on an owl-delivery contract irrespective of how many subscribers we have. We own 20 house-Elves whose main job is to tie each newspaper to the leg of the owl and collect the money from their moneybags when they return. The owners thankfully do not expect a salary. So that leaves very little money to hire good journalists. So we pay exorbitantly for each article written by freelance journalists. To fill up the rest of the paper, we depend on press releases from the ministry. There is no money for a marketing/advertisement division and hence the number of advertisements in the paper are low. They are also low, because the advertisements are very expensive and hence most businesses cannot afford it. Do you agree with my summary, Mrs. Longbottom?"

"I see that you have done your homework. I am very curious about what you want to propose." Mrs. Longbottom admitted.

"First, I want to stop receiving Ministry funding. I want to change the name of the publication to _'The High Inquisitor'_ with a by-line _'The Truth Shall Set You Free'_. I want to hire at least 25 full-time non-corrupt investigative reporters who will not hesitate to search for the truth and report it fairly. I don't not mean that they should reveal state secrets, but if a crime has been committed, it should be reported. I want to fire the printing staff and cancel the owl-delivery contract, which by the way is to Mr. McNair's company who is a known death-eater."

"If we can work out the finances that sounds very good. Who will do the printing and how will we deliver the paper to our subscribers?" Mrs. Longbottom was very intrigued.

"I knew you would ask that question." Harry grinned. "Allow me to do a demonstration. Winky?"

Winky rolled in a table with wheels. There was a white cloth covering it. Mrs. Longbottom appraised Winky with a critical eye. She had never seen a house-Elf wearing a robe and was surprised to see that she looked taller and more dignified. Winky pulled out the white cloth to reveal a cauldron. Mrs. Longbottom realized that the table resembled a muggle table usually found in their chemistry labs. All around the table were arranged ingredients, cutting knives, mortar and pestle and ladles. There were some runes etched on the table's surface.

"Mrs. Longbottom, you have masteries in Potions and Herbology and a muggle master's degree in Chemistry." Again, Mrs. Longbottom was surprised at why she was surprised that this young man had done his homework well. "Tell me, are you familiar with the steps of making the fever-reducing potion?" Harry walked to the table and tapped the main rune with his wand and said "Create 20 vials of Modified Fever-Reducing Potion and with one dose per vial".

Mrs. Longbottom blinked in surprise to see the ingredients fly onto the cutting area and the knives automatically started chopping them. She watched with her mouth open as the potion seemed to make itself and pour into 20 vials.

"HOW?? And only 15 minutes?" She walked up to the table and picked up a vial. She observed the liquid within for its color, consistency and clarity. She had never seen such a bright turquoise color of a fever reducing solution. The potion was viscous and clear. She opened the stopper and smelt it to find a minty aroma. She took a sip of the solution and tasted a sweet minty flavor instead of the pungent taste she expected.

Before Mrs. Longbottom could ask, Harry handed her a muggle file with many sheets of paper in it. "I don't claim to have done the modifications to the potion. That credit goes to two of my friends. They are potions geniuses. This file should have all the Arithmantic formulae and the final Arithmantic equivalent of the potion. Being a potions mistress, you might understand it better if you read it than listening to me trying to explain it."

Mrs. Longbottom had forgotten all about the automated potions maker and immersed herself into understanding the modifications. "This is amazing! May I meet your friends? Are they going to publish it?"

"Of course you may meet them." Harry replied. "Why not I ask Daphne Greengrass or Tracey Davis to owl you and arrange a meeting? But please do not mention this to anyone yet. As you can see, we are working on improving all healing potions to increase their efficacy and especially their taste. I have had to swallow enough number of potions over the years to know that all healing potions, without exception, taste horrible. Personally, I think Skelegrow tastes worse than Polyjuice, but than I hear that Wolfsbane is probably the worst!"

"And you tasted Skelegrow and Polyjuice because?" Mrs. Longbottom enquired amusedly.

Harry was in no mood to tell her his escapades. "Long story Mrs. Longbottom! Anyway, with my invention of an automated potions maker, we plan to start a potions company that would supply all potions to St. Mungos and other wizarding hospitals in the world. The competent potions masters at these hospitals may join our company to create newer and better potions. The incompetent ones will just have to find other jobs. Also, just like in the muggle world, we plan to start a chain of pharmacies that sell pre-made potions."

Harry continued, "I trust you Mrs. Longbottom to not give out my business secrets. I do not plan on making it known that I have any association with the potions business or even the High Inquisitor. The death eaters plan to kill me, the ministry wants to use me for their political reasons and Dumbledore and his order want to control me. I want you to be the public-face of the newspaper and manage the overall operations. I would appreciate it if you would help me keep my involvement a secret as outing of my involvement in these ventures would draw unnecessary negative attention. I do not want or wish to make the newspaper 'the boy-who-lived's' propaganda machine."

"You want me to run the newspaper?" Mrs. Longbottom blinked.

"Yes, Mrs. Longbottom and I want you to take a fat paycheck for your effort." Harry grinned.

"In that case, as a majority owner, you will be my boss. So please call me Augusta." Mrs. Longbottom smiled when she saw the look of surprise on Harry's face.

"Yes, Mrs. Longbottom, I mean, Augusta. I have a few more things to tell you. But here is how we are going to manage the distribution without the owls." Harry brought three mats and placed one in front of Mrs. Longbottom, another in front of him and another below the table. He took a copy of the Daily Prophet and placed it on his mat. He tapped it with his wand and said, "Send To Mrs. Longbottom". The paper disappeared and appeared on the mat in front of Mrs. Longbottom. She picked up the newspaper with a gob-smacked expression.

"Put the paper back on the mat, tap the mat with your wand and say _'Recycle Parchment'_." Mrs. Longbottom did as instructed and the newspaper disappeared and reappeared on the mat below the table.

"I have bought the patents to leach the inks from the parchments and also to recycle the parchments. Mrs. Lovegood was the amazing inventor of these very nifty charms. Imagine the costs we would save with using automated printing presses, automated newspaper delivery, recycled parchment and ink."

Mrs. Longbottom could not believe what she had witnessed. This method of transport would revolutionalize the mailing industry. This would mean that the wizarding world will have a means of instant communication. Also, with the reduction in dependence on owls, there are less chances of muggles noticing birds carrying letters.

"Yes, Augusta. I plan to encroach onto the mailing industry too." Mrs. Longbottom looked at Harry in awe and said, "You wish to ruin the industries owned by death eaters." It was a statement more than a question. This young man was going to be the force who would upset the balance of power in the wizarding financial world. Harry simply smiled and nodded.

"Pretty soon, it will be obvious as to what I plan to do. I would really appreciate your input. Our world needs to be rid of the death eaters and their crappy pureblood ideology. The bigotry and bias runs deep in our society. Lord Voldemort is the result of such a situation. If we do not want any more dark lords, we need to change our society's perceptions and culture. I plan on achieving it through financial and political means. I do not have any grandiose plans to rule the world. I just wish that the people rule themselves politically. In fact, I hate being in the spotlight and so I do not wish to be a Lord Voldemort or even an Albus Dumbledore."

Mrs. Longbottom pulled out her wand and gave Harry a witches oath to never betray Harry Potter's secrets. Harry then explained about his life before Hogwarts, his years at Hogwarts and the events of this summer. Mrs. Longbottom confessed that she was one of the customers of 'A New Company'. She thought that the name of the company was hilarious and they both shared a laugh. Harry then told her his vision of what the new newspaper should achieve and Mrs. Longbottom whole heartedly agreed that it was a good plan. Harry handed over a vault key with a million galleons that Mrs. Longbottom may used as start up cost. Mrs. Longbottom's eyes bugged out at the amount. "Just how rich are you Harry?"

"Pretty rich, Augusta! Pretty rich!" Harry grinned. "May I interest you in an offer to buy potions ingredients from your greenhouses?" The Longbottom family fortune was made from the profits from their greenhouses. Every alternate, if not every generation had a potions and Herbology master in the Longbottom family. It wasn't a wonder that Neville got his green thumb from his grandmother.

"That will be wonderful. What do you want to buy?" She enquired casually.

"Anything you are selling a death eater at 1.5 times the price." Mrs. Longbottom was not very surprised at what she heard. "I will give it you at par provided you let me invest 10-20% of your potions company. My friends and fellow potions mistresses Griselda Marchbanks, Andromeda Tonks and I are very interested in your 'automated potions maker'. We have been leading a research project for many years to find the cure for my son and daughter-in-law's condition. Have you thought about adding an Arithmantic probe to your cauldron? It might help in our research if we know the Arithmantic equivalent of the potion as we are brewing it."

"A friend of mine suggested the Arithmantic probe and I will incorporate it. Until last week, I had no idea about the relationship between Arithmancy and potions." Harry confessed. "Here is what I am willing to do. I will buy your potions supplies at par. I will give you and your friends enough number of automated potions makers for your research provided you take on a few student interns who will be paid from my funds. Any new potion you produce, the potions company will have first dibs to buy the patent. In exchange, I will offer 5% stake for each of you in the potions company. I will also give you Augusta, a 10% stake in the 'green universe' I wish to create in Ottery St. Catchpole near the Lovegood's property. Imagine a green house the size of a forest. I am planning to employ the centaurs as caretakers there."

"CENTAURS! There is no way they will talk to you, let alone work for you." Mrs. Longbottom exclaimed.

Harry grinned. "Why not we bet on it Mrs. Longbottom? If I win, you will help me manage this 'green universe' and if you win, I will give you an additional 10% of my potions company to you. I haven't met with the Centaurs, so I assure you the bet has even odds."

"It's Augusta, Harry. I am willing to shake on the bet." Mrs. Longbottom grinned. "You are a very intriguing young man. I am glad that you consider Neville a friend."

"Neville is a great friend Augusta. He is going to be a great wizard."

"Thank you Harry. I never thought that I would see the day when I will come out of retirement to work for a 15-year old boy."

"How did it go?" Hermione asked excitedly. "Did she agree?"

"Of course she did Mia! I gave her a deal she could not refuse. Augusta will be a force to recon with. I can't wait to see the headlines everyday." Harry said excitedly. "How is it going with the Wizion? I haven't seen you around in ages. You have buried yourself in the library."

"Guess what?" Hermione asked almost bouncing.

"Don't tell me you were able to broadcast muggle channels to the Wizion." Harry joked.

Hermione stopped her excited jig and considered his idea. "That's not a bad idea Harry. However, I was able to add up to 10 channels to the Wizion. So the audience will have a choice of program to watch." Harry smiled and congratulated her on her achievement.

"But, you know what? I love your idea. I am going to create two modes and call it Wizion and Television. We will also have remote controls that let you turn on and off the Wizion, change the mode, change the channels, increase and decrease the volume etc. The buttons on the remotes will be rune based and will power off the wizards magic when he handles it. I will also try to make the box look exactly like a flat-screen televisions that Sony said it was going to bring out. Oh! This is exciting!!" Hermione was almost dancing with excitement.

Harry smiled and was happy for his friend. "That is excellent Mia! Why not add one more mode for shopping and we will have our own shopping network? We would use Susan's invention to work with this network. We will need to set up the necessary equipment at the stores end."

"Aren't we full of ideas today, Mr. Potter?" Hermione commented with a saucy wink.

"Have you thought about how the network would work? Will you need to use muggle electromagnetic frequency technology or can this be done using magic?" Harry enquired.

Hermione beamed at Harry's intelligent question. She loved the new Harry who was as smart as she was. "Harry, of course we are going to use magic. We are going to use the ley-lines of magic to disperse the signal. We may have to find a place to broadcast our signals. Hogwarts is a good contender because it is situated on 3 intersecting ley-lines. And no place in the world is so far away from a ley-line that we cannot broadcast our signal."

Before Harry could respond, she squealed and said, "This really is very exciting! I have a lot of research to do." Hermione gave him a hug and ran towards the library excitedly. The rest of the Potter family laughed seeing their favorite bookworm's antics.

"Daphne, I have some good news for you! I might have got you, Tracey and another student of your choosing a summer internship with three potions mistresses: Mrs. Augusta Longbottom, Mrs. Griselda Marchbanks and Mrs. Andromeda Tonks. They are currently working on creating a cure for prolonged exposure to the Cruciatus curse. What do you say? Are you interested?"

"Are you kidding Harry?" Daphne jumped out of her seat and hugged Harry. "They are one of the best research teams to work with. They usually never have time for student interns. How did you manage it?"

Harry laughed. "I did nothing. I showed Mrs. Longbottom your Arithmantic equations for the modified fever-reducing potion. She was very excited about it and wanted to meet you and Tracey. So you both got it on your own merit."

"Wait till you see what we did to the Polyjuice potion." Daphne grinned. At Harry's impatient expression she said, "We modified Polyjuice potion to give the drinker a temporary potions induced Metamorphomagic capability. Every time you ingest the solution, you can change into who ever you want with in the next 15 minutes. We have it worked out in Arithmantic terms and we will translate it into a potions equivalent soon. Human transfiguration through potions! We are geniuses." She proudly exclaimed.

"That is awesome Daphne! I have always believed that you both are a geniuses. I mean, in the short time I have known you and Tracey." Harry winked. "May I offer you a suggestion?" Daphne nodded. "Don't give out this formula or potion to ANYONE till we have a method to screen for such Potion-Induced-Metamorphomagus-Persons. We don't want death eater PIMPs masquerading as students at Hogwarts, do we?" Harry laughed at his crude joke.

"Of course not Harry! I see the need for secrecy." Daphne solemnly agreed. "I have modified almost all of the common healing potions. The potions are much more stronger and their effects last longer. We have not worked on any modifications to reduce the addiction potential of any of these potions. We will do so in the near future. What is important is that we have the instructions to be able to mass produce these modified potions. The modifications have cut the cost of producing the potion by a significant percentage. If we can get the ingredients cheaper, and mass produce these potions, our manufacturing costs will be even less."

Daphne continued with excitement, "Our next projects are modifying Skelegrow and Wolfsbane and we need help with these complex potions. This is where the summer internship will help. I have already created the process flow for mass producing Wolfsbane in case we need to do that during this lunar cycle." She then developed a pensive look on her face. "I think Tracey and I should first start with studying the Arithmantic interactions between ingredients. I have never read those documented in a textbook before. Time to fix that Arithmantic probe Mister!" Daphne said with a glint in her eye.

"That is awesome Daphne! Maybe you both could write a book on Arithmancy and Potions and describe these interactions in Arithmantic terms." Harry was in awe of the resident potions genius as she seriously considered that suggestion and nodded. "When are you going to tell Tracey about the internship?"

"She will be so excited! She tried to get a summer job, but hadn't had any luck till now. And it will be great to work with her in person, rather than through our mind-speak technique. You know what? We should invite Neville as the other intern! Wink! Wink!" Harry laughed at her excitement.

"Of course! You are inviting him for his knowledge of Herbology and not because of any hidden agenda, right?" Harry laughed.

"Susan, could you meet with your auntie, Mrs. Marchbanks and Mrs. Longbottom and discuss the political implications of the articles that will appear in the High Inquisitor? By the way, Mrs. Longbottom was amused at the new name for the newspaper." Susan had come up with the name and everyone thought that it would be fitting. "I am sure you already guessed that I plan to push your aunt to become the Minister when Fudge gets the sack." Harry winked.

"She is going to hate you for that Harry." Susan exclaimed. "She was offered that post many times and she has never accepted it. She always claims that she is not a politician."

"Of course Susan! We really don't want a politician for our Minister, do we?" Harry laughed. "Who knows? In a few years time, it will be time for you to accept that post!" Harry laughed harder at Susan's shocked expression.

"You really mean that Harry? You think I have it in me to become the Minister? I have never taken a major decision in life before." Susan asked sincerely.

"Susan, I believe in you. Behind the jovial personality, you really are a gem of a person. You think of all possibilities before taking a decision. Your magical contracts are testimony to that. All you need is a little Slytherin cunning and Gryffindor bravado, which you will imbibe from me."

"Thank you Harry! That is the best compliment I have ever received." She hugged Harry and kissed him on his lips. "Get used to it Susan. You will represent me in that meeting. Interact with them appropriately. Do not let them walk over you. Mrs. Longbottom and your aunt know my agenda, so they should support you. If you have any questions, you can always mind-speak with me."

There was a faint pop in the room announcing the arrival of Dobby. "DOBBY! Where have you been? I haven't seen you in many days now! Is everything okay? Do you need anything?"

"Harry Potter Sir! It is good to see you too. Dobby was busy working on the Elf Life Foundation. Dobby also had to spend many nights at Hogwarts diverting some of her magic."

"I heard about that from Ragnok. How is the Elf Life Foundation going?" Harry enquired.

"I have visited the Elf Alleys in most wizarding cities of the world. I have had to tell my story innumerable number of times. All the free Elves want to bond with you as servants. The others wish to bond with you as soon as their masters free them. I have a list of 612 Elves who are ready. Some of them are about to die. I promised them free magic use and free work and they were very excited. Will you bond with them Harry Potter Sir?"

"Of course I will Dobby. I haven't really felt weak the last few days. I am not sure how the warding projects have been going on. They were supposed to start construction of a whole magical village at Godric's Hollow. I have not felt any drain of my magic."

"Harry Potter Sir has not felt a drain as Harry Potter Sir's magic is growing stronger. With these new house-Elves, we can start more construction. We now have 10 teams doing the warding every day and each team is averaging 10 properties per day. Some time is lost because the same wizard is managing two teams."

"That is wonderful Dobby! What about construction?" Harry enquired.

"We have demolished both the Greeny Manor, Bonesy Residence and Lovey Shack. We have started reconstruction of the Greeny Manor and the Bonesy Residence based on the plans that Mrs. Greeny-Potter, -Potter and have give us. They want Winky to be their interior decorator. They love the interior decor of the Den."

Harry laughed at Dobby's mispronunciation of their names. "Winky is amazing! She would be the best choice. What about Godric's Hollow?"

"The plans for the wizarding village have been drawn up. There will be a shopping area similar to Diagon Alley called 'Magic Alley'. Each shop will have a 3 bedroom house attached to it, so that the shop keepers may live there. There will be at least 4 restaurants in the Alley and 3 pubs. We are also building 3 night clubs where youngsters may congregate. There will be a Gringotts building that will be linked to the Gringotts Diagon Alley through an Elven portal. Mrs. Potters have identified that we need shops that sell potion supplies, wands, broomsticks, trunks, books, pets, and ice cream. They are working on a plan to invite shopkeepers from various alleys to relocate there. They expect at least 200 new students to shop there before school starts. So we plan to have Magic Alley complete by July 31st before constructing the houses."

"That is wonderful Dobby. With these new Elves, I am sure it will be much faster. Make sure there are no security loopholes. We should have the rune-transport system ready soon. There will be no floo anywhere in Godric Hollow except for the single floo terminal. There will be state of the art wards to prevent anyone with wrongful intent. No one with the dark mark will be allowed in. "

"Harry Potter Sir! Ragnok has called his best team of Goblin curse-breakers to design the wards. The Goblins might not be able to weave wards, but they sure know how to design them to make it difficult to break in. The house-Elves will be able to weave wards. With the new 612 house-Elves, we will be able to cast strong wards over the whole village at once. we will also use blood wards to make it safe."

The process of how these Elves were going to cast the wards flashed in Harry's mind. _'Probably from Dobby's mind through the bond'_, thought Harry. "When do I meet these new Elves to bind them?"

"Harry Potter Sir need not meet them. I can bind them as servants on your behalf. The Elves be very excited to work for you."

"That is awesome Dobby. In that case, you don't have to wait for my permission to bind them. I give you permission to bind any free Elf on my behalf in my absence." Dobby was very excited to have this permission. "Also, I want to tell you that a team of witches are working to break the bindings on the house-Elves. They should have something for us very soon."

"Thank you Harry Potter Sir! You really are the greatest wizard of all."

Harry walked into the library to find Hermione and Luna sitting on a comfortable couch with their heads buried in books. Harry jumped into the space between the two witches startling them. "HARRY!" Harry kept laughing at their annoyance as if he had been hit by a tickling hex.

"Harry! Are you not supposed to meet those broomstick twins at Gringotts?" Hermione demanded, still annoyed at being interrupted.

"Yes! I am meeting them in an hour. I need to come up with a new glamour."

"Who are these twins and why do you need a new glamour?" Luna asked.

"The broomstick twins are Alan and John Campbell. They are geniuses at designing broomsticks, but they work for different companies, Nimbus and Firebolt. They are muggleborn yet work in companies owned by death eaters. I am going to try and lure them away. I need a new glamor coz I don't want anyone to recognize Harry Potter."

Luna and Hermione burst out laughing. "You really don't know?" They asked. Harry shook his head.

"Harry have you been keeping up with downloading the knowledge base from our minds?" Hermione enquired. Harry shook his head again. "Drat! I knew I was forgetting something. So what is it that I don't know?"

"You Harry are a Metamorphomagus!" Both Luna and Hermione beamed.

"I am? How come I didn't know! And how do you both know?" Harry was genuinely surprised.

"Remember the panels in the meeting room in your mind? Do you remember the one that had multiple colors? Have you even explored those windows?" Harry shook his head dumbly.

"Do you remember Petunia giving you hair cuts when you were a child? Did they not grow back the next morning? Have you ever had a hair cut after that? Don't you think that is strange?"

"Wow! So what are the other windows?" He vowed to look at the other panels as soon as he had some downtime. "That is for us to know and for you to explore. Seriously Harry, how did you think that Daphne got those Arithmantic values of a metamorphomagus to find the modifications that are necessary to Polyjuice potion?"

"Wow! You people are genuises. Thank you wise ones!" Harry bowed to them. Hermione and Luna giggled. "So how do I go about making the change?"

"Simple, go to the meeting room, put your hand on the window and will yourself to change into who you want." Harry followed the instructions and willed himself to change into this new person called Max Rutherford. When Harry opened his eyes, Luna conjured a mirror and Harry saw his reflection. He had grown a little taller, older and had blue eyes and a few wrinkles on his face. Overall, he looked like a fairly attractive middle aged man.

A sudden flash of inspiration occurred to Harry. "Does that mean all of you will be Metamorphomagi, the way Daphne, and I suppose all of you are Parseltongue speakers?"

Both Hermione and Luna looked at each other and winked. They then changed their faces into each others. "Harry, we have had to work really hard to make these changes. We are still working on changing our bodies. I think one of your panels is a proficiency in transfiguration. That explains how easily you were able to change your whole body. Or maybe you are just in tune with your magic better than any of us." Harry looked at each of them with his jaw open. He was too shocked to speak. He pulled both of them into a hug. "That's amazing! I am speechless. Damn! Now I wont know which wife I am kissing!" Harry commented.

Luna and Hermione burst out laughing. "We have to try that! I am going to speak to my other sisters", Hermione grinned with a naughty smile.

"Say Hermione, whats up with the Hogwarts letters?" Harry enquired. "We got the out-going list from a house-Elf at Hogwarts and I set my mom on contacting them. She has a network of parents of muggleborn students who are helping. They were outraged when I told them about the magical core binding. They want to see a pensieve memory of the shock on everyone's faces when more than 200 students enter Hogwarts this year." Hermione grinned maliciously.

"They are going to shop at Magic Alley during the second and third weeks of August. Daphne and I are creating the knowledge-potion for the firsties with knowledge of the first year magic and the wizarding world. If your plan goes right, there will be drastic changes at Hogwarts, so these children will be better prepared. We are going to screen these students for neglect and abuse. Did you know that the professors only visit the houses of the most powerful muggleborn students to explain about Hogwarts?"

Harry really did not want to lose control of his temper and magic. Harry sighed sadly. "Good luck Hermione. I hope everything works out right and we make a difference in everyone's lives." He pulled Hermione into a hug and gave her a kiss on her forehead.

Harry turned to Luna and asked her, "Luna, how is the Lycan antibody project going?"

"Amazing Harry. I have asked daddy to get in touch with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, USA. They have a wizarding division in the sixth floor below ground level in their main campus. They were very excited to collaborate with WOLF and are eagerly waiting for werewolf saliva, blood, tears and semen. I have no idea how we are going to get the last specimen, but we have constructed a special cage wherein a werewolf who has been given the Wolfsbane potion may bite a horizontal steel rod. The researchers will be able to get near to collect the saliva samples."

"Luna, make sure you take every precaution while doing that. We don't want any mistakes. That would be a tragedy." Luna nodded.

"Now I have to go am meet the famous broomstick twins. Thank you both of you." Harry hugged them and left.

Harry had morphed into his Max Rutherford persona and took the Goblin portkey to Gringotts. Griphook had worked with Goblins from all over the world in order to find appropriate identities for Harry. Max Rutherford was a wizard living on the outskirts of Kansas City, Missouri. He was married and had a 5 year old son. A few months ago, his wife and child were killed in a werewolf attack. In his grieving state, he had gone to Gringotts to withdraw his fortune to disappear and while he was there, he did something rather foolish. He raised his wand against a Goblin. The Goblin soldiers immediate executed him. Wanting to avert a major public relations disaster where the Goblins executed a grieving man, the Goblins hushed it up. Thus, Max Rutherford was a perfect identity for Harry ready to be taken advantage of.

"This is a standard secrecy oath gentlemen! Please read it over and sign it with this blood quill." Max told the two geniuses. The twins read through the contract, and signed it with flourish after giving each other a look that twins usually use to communicate with each other.

Harry took the secrecy oaths from them. Pulled out his shunken trunk and place it beside the papers, whipped out his wand, tapped the top of the trunk and said "File these documents please!" What followed was like a series of events that could only be compared to a musical symphony. The trunk expanded and opened up at the 3rd level. An empty file folder flew out onto the table and automatically tagged itself with the meeting particulars. The secrecy oaths flew into the folder. The folder flew into the trunk and the trunk locked itself, before shrinking to the size of a matchbox. The twins watched the whole process in abject fascination.

"BLOODY HELL! You own the Evans patent..."

"Magical Construct, was it?"

"That brings us to..."

"Why we are here..."

"You want to create a broom..."

"Using this construct..."

"And you want to hire us both..."

"To design such broom or brooms..."

"You will try to convince us..."

"And work for you..."

"You will probably know..."

"Enough about us..."

"Like how we are Ravenclaws..."

"And even how much salary we make..."

"You will tempt us..."

"With new knowledge..."

"Frontiers of magic, blah blah blah..."

"Or even a big fat salary..."

"And get us to work for you..."

"Are we right in our assumptions...."

"Mr. Potter??"

Now it was Harry's turn to be shocked! He had not said anything other than the very first sentence. He had assumed that his identity was rock solid. He started laughing and wouldn't stop. After a minute, Harry composed himself and smiled at the twins. "You both are just like the Weasley twins. Amazing!"

"Hear that twin?"

"He compares us with..."

"The Notorious twins..."

"When we thought we were..."

"The Famous twins."

Harry laughed again. He could not help but like these two gentlemen in front of him. "Well, you are wrong about one thing. I am not going to tempt you with new knowledge or increased pay, though those two are a given if you accept to be part of this venture. Tell me gentlemen, why are you working for Death Eaters and putting Galleons in their coffers?"

The twins blinked. This was the last thing they thought they would hear. They were very surprised at this new knowledge. "It looks like you do not know this information. Here is a list of shareholders of the Firebolt, Nimbus and Cleansweep companies. The ones highlighted on these documents are death eaters. The ones on top of each list is the official figure head for the company. I think they are the ones who always dealt with you both, thus keeping the knowledge of the real owners under wrap." Harry handed each twin a set of papers. "Here is another document signed in blood by Ragnok, the chief of the Goblin clan that the documents I just showed you are genuine." Harry pulled out another document and placed it on the table between them.

"With this new knowledge, the question now is, will you still continue working for these companies and make profits for them?"

The twins looked at each other and did their silent communication thing and said, "No Mr. Potter! We would rather retire than work for them."

Harry clapped his hands in excitement. "Now, please hear my offer out." The twins nodded. "Your assumptions are very true. I will give you new knowledge and definitely a much fatter pay. In fact, I will give you each 15% of the company's share."

"The broom you will create will be the last broom ever created in our wizarding world. They will be so superior that, I regret to say this, but all your earlier creations will have to be sold as junk. I do and did own the Firebolt and the Nimbus 2000. Excellent brooms, but I have something else in mind. I want a broom that will not degrade over time. The Magical Construct will let us refresh the charms remotely. The charms will adjust dynamically depending on which position the person is playing. We will use Goblin magic, Elven magic and runes to do things that have never been done. The brooms will come with self-shrinking features, aerodynamic readings such as height, velocity etc, wards against assault etc. Though we wont advertise it, the broom shall have an Elven tracking charm, Goblin portkey feature, the dark mark detection charm and rider's magical signature detection charms. There will also be a modified Protean Charm that will let us add, remove and modify existing charms on the broom remotely."

Harry took a deep breath and said, "Are there any questions?"

John Campbell looked at Harry. "Wow! We were never able to enchant a broom with so many charms. I guess with the Magical Construct, it is possible."

Alan Campbell said, "Nimbus and Cleansweep make profits by pricing their brooms low and bringing out better versions of the brooms every a few years. Firebolt on the other hand, does not plan on successive upgrades and hence keep their price exorbitantly high. What are you plans on pricing?"

Harry grinned his evil grin. "Like Firebolt, we will not bring out upgrades. Our broom will have a much better performance than a Firebolt yetpriced less than a Cleansweep." Harry declared.

The twins blinked and looked at each other. "Tell me Mr. Potter, how are we going to make a profit? If I hear you correctly, we are only going to release one model of the broom EVER and it will last forever."

Harry laughed. "Valid point gentlemen. However, you did say that you would gladly retire than work for those death eaters. So how about I give each of you half a million galleons so that you work in this company more as a hobby than actual work? So why are you so worried about making a profit?" Harry asked cheekily.

"But you are right! A company should make profit and believe me, we are going to make a lot of it." Seeing the confused expressions on the twins faces he asked, "Are you both familiar with the pricing strategy of Thomas Edison when he sold the light bulb?" The twins shook their heads. "He sold the first million lightbulbs at a loss. But as the world caught onto lightbulbs, the demand increased and his manufacturing costs came down. He made minimal profit on each bulb, but when you multiply minimal profit with billions of bulbs sold everyday, you can imagine the profits. The wizarding world does not understand such a simple strategy."

Harry continued, "Nobody will be able to meet our price. We kill all the other broom companies with a superior broom at rock bottom prices. We will be a monopoly. We will also have 'the boy-who-lived' advertising for us. Imagine every broom in the world being replaced with a Lightning. Oh by the way, did I tell you that the lightning will be made of magical wood and have a metal core that conducts magic from the flyer to the various charms?"

"Half-a-million galleons, retirement..."

"Broom made of magical wood..."

"Amazing! We are in!" The twins chorused.

"'The Lightning', perfect symbolism for the scar you are famous for." Alan Campbell commented.

"Where are you going to get that much magical wood? You do know that most broom companies found magical wood brooms to be financially non-viable. They never found enough supply of magical wood." John Campbell queried.

"Oh! I am going to get it from the Centaurs!" Harry commented off handedly.

"Goblin magic, Elven Magic, Centaurs! You are full of surprises Mr. Potter."

"Here you go gentlemen! These are your half-a-million-Galleon retirement funds", Harry handed each twin a vault key. He handed them another key, "This vault should cover all operating costs of the company. Here are the documents describing the Magical Construct and other charms I want to have on the broom. The House-Elf Peppy and the Goblin Glochant are available at your disposal. Peppy should be able to get you samples of magical wood with the metal core by today evening. I wish to start distribution during the first week of August. That means you have about 2 weeks time to come up with the final prototype. Is that a good enough timeline?"

"Not to worry Mr. Potter. We have had designs for this broom since we were in Hogwarts 16 years ago." Harry raised his eyebrow at the timeline. "Yes, Mr. Potter, your parents were 2 years our senior and we have many fond memories of them. Your mother was an absolute genius and your father, once he corrected his attitude, was a gem of a person. But then we gave the Marauders as good as we got" John grinned.

"Excellent! If that is all, I have another meeting I need to go to before meeting the Centaurs. Thank you gentlemen. Good day. Oh! I forgot! How did you discover my identity? I thought I covered my bases well."

"Not your mistake, Mr. Potter. My daughter is Katie Bell. I wanted her to have an anonymous childhood, so I changed her last name. She made me sign a similar contract for the wards around our home. She blushed when she talked about her boss, who she would not name. The only person she used to blush when talking about was you, Mr. Potter. As Mr. Holmes would say, Elementary, my dear Watson."

Harry groaned while the twins laughed. "Thank you and have a good day!"

Harry walked into the other conference room where he met a sea of red haired folks waiting for him. "Ah here he is. Max, let me introduce you to the Weasleys. Mr. Arthur Weasley, Mrs. Molly Weasley, Mr. William Weasley, Mr. Charles Weasley, Mr. Frederick Weasley, and Mr. George Weasley. Mr. Percival Weasley was unable to join us. Everyone, please meet my boss Mr. Max Rutherford. I am Sasha Fielding and this is my assistant Dormier Potter, no relation to your famous 'boy-who-lived'." Luna who had morphed into the beautiful Sasha persona spoke. Dobby had glamoured himself as Dormier Potter and it was hilarious that he would choose that last name.

"Hello everyone." Harry greeted eagerly. "Things will get too confusing if we are formal at this meeting. Too many Mr. Weasleys here. How about we all call each other by our first name? I am Max, my assistant is Sasha, and her assistant wants to go by 'David'. He seems to hate the name 'Dormier'." Harry chuckled.

Mr. Weasley greeted him warmly and introduced his sons with the name they would prefer to be called. "No offence meant. But why are we here?" He enquired gently.

Max chuckled. "I always loved the direct approach. So I will be direct too. I can't tell you anything before you sign this secrecy oath with this blood quill. Please read it carefully as signing this document will restrict you from disclosing what we discussed today and breaking the contract can have disastrous results."

"Why would you include Albus Dumbledore in that list with you-know-who? And how do you know about the Order of the Phoenix?" Mrs. Weasley demanded in a raised voice.

"My! My! I have heard legends about the famous Weasley temper. But to see it right in front of me! Please, Mrs. Weasley, I am a business man. The basic tenets of good business dictates that you should avoid negative attention. I know I DON'T want to be noticed by this Dark Lord of yours, Lord Voldemort." The Weasleys shuddered. Harry laughed. "I heard about how people in England hate to speak his name, but I did not know that you did not want to hear it either. I always thought it was funny! I am sorry if I disrespected you by laughing, but I guess you have your reasons to fear his name. How about I call him Tom? I hear that it is what Albus Dumbledore calls him." The Weasleys nodded dumbly.

"As I said, I don't want any negative attention. I don't want to be known by Tom for sure, nor do I want to be known by the Ministry which is riddled with spies, sycophants and scheming politicians. I also don't want to be known by manipulative old men like your dear friend Albus Dumbledore. He might be a God here, but he does not have a similar reputation in other parts of the world." The Weasleys were all getting red in their face with fury.

"Calm down Weasleys. I am only explaining my point of view. Why not we agree to disagree on this issue? As I said I am a businessman and I have a business proposal for you that you will only hear if you sign the secrecy oath. So do you want to sign it?"

"It is anything illegal?" Mr. Weasley enquired.

"Heavens NO! If I were into anything illegal at all, I would have consulted the Malfoys and not Madam Bones and the Weasleys. Geez, will you sign it already? I am bursting with excitement here." The Weasleys quickly signed the documents and handed it over to Luna.

"Thank you for signing the secrecy oaths. Here is the business proposal. Please hear me out before you interrupt me." The Weasleys nodded.

"I am starting a construction company and I need your help. I need to create a few model homes that I can show it to my prospective buyers and I hope you will let me build them on your land in Ottery St. Catchpole. To give you a visual representation of what it will look like when it is built, here is an invention of a friend of mine called the architectural pensieve. If you could all touch one of the runes on the border, we will start the tour."

The Weasleys entered the pensieve one by one and were shocked at what they saw. They were currently in the center of a beautifully manicured Quidditch pitch. In front of them was a huge manor and behind them there were three houses, which Harry explained were guest quarters. To the right of them, they saw a 2-storey building, that Harry explained was a 6-car garage on the ground floor and a workshop on the upper level. To the left side, was a glass structure that Harry explained was a 'Herbarium' or a 'greenhouse' and a temperature regulated swimming pool.

They entered the Manor and Luna explained that it contained 8 bedroom suites each with an attached bathroom, walk in closet, a bedroom, a study and an antechamber. There were four more bedrooms on the top floor. The manor also included a spacious kitchen, informal and formal dining rooms, and a living room on the ground floor. The first floor consisted of a huge library, a potions lab and dueling chamber. The Manor was decorated in a tasteful manner.

They all walked out of the Manor very impressed. Harry explained that the houses on the other side of the pitch were 3 bedroom, 5 bedroom and 7 bedroom houses. All these houses come with a standard large kitchen, formal dining room, a potions lab, a library, en-suite bedrooms and a basement. The 5 and 7 bedroom houses come with a dueling chamber and a recreation room.

They were hugely impressed with the greenhouse and the swimming pool. Dobby explained that the swimming pool was directly accessible from the bedroom corridor of each house through a portal.

"Don't these houses look a lot like muggle homes?" Mr. Weasley enquired.

"Yes Arthur. They do. In fact, it is our specialty. Many of our clients are in the middle income bracket and most of them have had some experience with living in muggle homes. We are contracting with a company that is trying to find a LEGAL way to get muggle devices work in magical homes." Mr. Weasley seemed very interested in this and Harry grinned knowingly.

"What about the wards around this place?" Bill enquired.

"Why don't we go to the ward boundary and check this out?" Harry suggested with a grin.

Bill reached the ward boundary and started chanting in latin. A few minutes later, there was a holographic image in front of him which appeared as though the wards had split into its various components. Bill studied each component and exclaimed, "That is impossible. I have seen such powerful wards!"

"Correction Bill! The wards of Hogwarts and Gringotts are much stronger than this. The wards around this house are much stronger than those around the ministry though." Harry chuckled. "So you approve? May we quote you in our advertisement campaign?"

"I will have to take a detailed look at the real wards before I certify them." Bill said hesitantly.

"Now that we are all done, let us go out and we can discuss further." With that, the Weasleys, Harry, Luna and Dobby were ejected from the pensieve.

"So what is your proposal?" Mr. Weasley enquired.

"Well, you let me demolish your existing home. I know, I know, the memories associated with a home you love. But the plan consists of demolition of the burrow, building the manor, which will be your primary home. The other three buildings are display homes which will be unoccupied. We will build the quiditch pitch, the garage and the greehouse-swimming pool. Everything you have seen. We will ward it the way it was shown."

"We plan to sell homes similar to the display homes at 15000, 20000 and 25000 galleons for the 3, 5 and 7 bedroom homes. We have made a deal with Gringotts to give housing-loans for those amounts at 5-10% interest per annum, to be paid off between 15-25 years. There are thousands of wizards who do not live in the magical world as there are no wizarding homes available. The last magical house to be built was almost 30 years ago."

"I don't understand how you are able to build and sell these homes so cheap. Last I gathered was that a decent 5 bedroom house cost at least 100,000 galleons." Mr. Weasley wondered.

"We all have our secrets, Mr. Weasley. I don't enquire about all the muggle things you tinker with. How we are able to build and sell the houses at such a low cost is one of our business secrets that I cannot divulge." Harry grinned. "That brings us to your involvement in this deal. Normally, we would quote the Manor around 60,000 galleons. But this is the deal I have for you." Harry paused dramatically.

"We will build all that we showed you for you and you will be the owner of all the property. You will let us bring in clients to show the three model homes. We promise to never bring in any death eater or anyone who intends to do harm to you or your family. In fact, we will also put up similar wards just around your Manor to ensure your safety. We will inform you in advance when you can expect us to come bye. We only ask that you maintain the model homes in the same pristine condition and not let it out or inhabit it for 1 year. We also expect you not to hide your manor or the model homes under fidelius. If in case the death eaters attack your property in the next 10 years, it will be a testimony as to how strong the wards are. In case of any damage to your buildings, I will guarantee to rebuild your homes to the same condition as new. Other than these, we expect nothing else from you, except for a maybe an occasional invitation for some tea and scones from Mrs. Weasley. I hear Molly's cooking is legendary." Harry grinned cheekily.

"Now, the big question as to how much it is going to cost you. Well, the whole deal is going to cost you only 60,000 galleons. This includes the Quidditch pitch, the greenhouse, the swimming pool, the garages, the three model homes, the beautiful manor and the wards. In short, everything you have seen in the pensieve. I have arranged with Gringotts to get you a 5% interest loan over 30 years to pay for the property. Which means that you have to pay ONLY for the first year which is a sum of 5,000 galleons. From the next year onwards, you can rent out the model homes and these should pay for themselves."

"You may discuss this amongst yourselves for the next 24 hours. But I really need to know your answer by tomorrow evening. Otherwise, I will have to give this offer to someone else. My team should be in the next conference room for a couple of hours. Feel free to enjoy the snacks that the Goblins have kindly provided us."

"Fred and George, Viperblade has asked me to pass this to you." Harry handed the twins a box with a memory orb and Harry, Luna and Dobby walked out of the conference hall.

"Well, What do you think?" Arthur Weasley.

"I don't like the fact that we can't talk about it to Dumbledore. But otherwise, it is a wonderful opportunity. I am not sure we will be able to afford it though." Mrs. Weasley commented.

"I will be able to pay at least 1000 to 1250 galleons for the first year." Bill offered.

"Oh no Bill! We couldn't really take money from our sons." Mrs. Weasley declared. "You will need to save money for yourselves." The twins snorted and muttered, "And act as selfish gits like Percy and Ron?"

"Fred and George!" Mr. Weasley warned them. "Your mother is right Bill. Who knows you might meet a girl and might need the money."

"I have already met a girl and I don't need the money dad." Molly's eyebrow raised registering that information. She would tackle Bill about it at a later date. "I know you wont be able to pay 5,000 galleons out of your salary. So let us sons contribute." Bill insisted.

"Bill is right dad! I can contribute a similar amount too." Charlie agreed.

"Since our Big brother the Perfect Percy is not here, we the wastrals, good-for-nothing pranksters will contribute the remaining 3,000 galleons." The twins declared.

"FRED AND GEORGE! Now is not the time to joke! You haven't even opened your shop yet. How can you promise so much money!" Mrs. Weasley almost screeched.

"You see that George..."

"Yes I do, Fred..."

"Our own mother..."

"Does not believe us..."

Fred and George walked up to the corner of the room and rang a bell summoning a Goblin. When the Goblin arrived, Fred said, "Good afternoon Viperblade. Could you please transfer 3,000 galleons from the Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes vault to the Weasley family vault please?"

"Right away Mr. Weasley." The Goblin pulled out a panel from the wall near the bell and started punching some buttons. A minute later he said, "It is done, Mr. Weasley." "Thank you Viperblade. May your gold always flow." The Goblin bowed and exited.

"How.. How did you get the Goblin to behave like that?" Bill spluttered.

"Trade secret bro! Can't reveal that." Fred winked.

"Any comments dear mother?" George asked.

"HOW DID YOU GET SO MUCH MONEY? I DEMAND TO KNOW!" Mrs. Weasley was about to explode. This was the first time any of her children had so blatantly proved that she was wrong and she did not like it.

"Our owl-order business is doing pretty well. Our business will only be better once we open the shop. We changed the date of our shop opening to August 7th, not because we are not ready, but we are currently involved in a much more important project. Be assured mother, that we do not deal with death eaters or indulge in any illegal activities. We are sorry mother, but we cannot tell you more about our business." Fred explained.

"Molly!" Mr. Weasley put his hand on her shoulder and calmed her down. "It looks like Fred and George have tipped our decision. But I only wish I had atleast a week to be comfortable with the idea. It is kind of harsh to make decisions in such a short span of time."

"Actually we knew about this offer at least 1 week ago. We were told not to talk about this. We have worked with Max on other projects and he is a very honorable guy. His secrecy oaths are amazing though."

"So we decided then?" Mr. Weasley asked receiving a nod from everyone. "Let me call Max and his team in." George volunteered.

++++++ Meeting With Centaurs ++++++

"HOW DARE YOU STEP INTO THIS FOREST HUMAN?" Harry, Luna and Dobby froze at the voice. After their meeting with the Weasleys, they had reverted back to their natural forms and Goblin-portkeyed to the Forbidden forest to meet the centaurs.

Harry looked around him and spotted a group of centaurs armed with bows and arrows and led by a centaur known as Bane. "Bane! It is good to meet you." Harry drawled in a sarcastic voice. "Whatever happened to _'Athithi Devo Bhava?'_ which means that a guest is equal to a God? Or are we not following age-old Centaurian traditions these days?"

"How dare you quote me Centaurian scriptures back to me, you lowly human?" Bane growled.

"Tsk, Tsk. Your attitude needs a lot of readjusting before you could start your _Yatra_ to attain _Nirvana_. Now, why don't you be a good centaur and take me to your chief. He has invited me and it is your duty to take me to him." Harry thanked his lucky stars that he had met Firenze and asked him for a boon of knowledge of Centaurian customs. Thanks to the Goblin knowledge potion, Harry was well versed in it within a couple of hours.

Harry realized that Centaurs migrated from the plains of the river Ganga (in India) during the Vedic period (5000 years ago). Nobody really knew the origin of the centaurs, but during the time they were a cultured civilized society, the rest of the western world were barbarians. Thus started the hatred of all things with two legs. They became protective of their herds and moved from one forest to another. The centaurs were very philosophical beings and believed in the traditions of the old. Much like the old Japanese culture, social interactions consisted of subtle nuances and any gesture that is out of place might be considered as an insult to the host. For example, sitting down before your host invites you to would be considered a hostile action declaring your superiority over the host. Reminding a centaur of his duty as per his tradition was the ultimate insult to a centaur.

Bane looked at the three trespassers and ordered, "Follow me!" Soon the centaurs and the trio were escorted into the depths of the forest. An hour passed during which time, Harry mind-spoke to both Dobby and Luna and asked them to review the knowledge of centaurian culture he had received from Firenze. He did not want any of them committing a faux-pas in front of the Centaurian chief.

As they went into the depths of the forest, they heard a lot of clicking and some whining and whimpering coming from one direction. The centaurs were alert at once and readied their bows and arrows to attack whatever animal came out of there. Harry and Luna, not waiting for the centaurs, ran towards the sound to find a female unicorn being surrounded a group of Acromantula. Harry whipped out his wand and cast _Aranea Exumae_, effectively throwing the four Acromantula on one side of the unicorn about 100 feet into the air. They landed with a sickening crunch. The other 3 Acromantula now charged Harry and Luna, but were no match for the stunning curses they sent at the giant spiders. Harry knew that they would not awaken for a very long time. He banished all the Acromantula into the Chamber of Secrets.

In the meantime, Luna moved to unicorn and healed her wounds. She whispered soothing words into the unicorns ears and calmed her. The female unicorn moved to Harry surprising him. In all the books Hermione read about them, they always mentioned that Unicorns only approach young virgin women. The Unicorn walked up Harry and gazed into his eyes as if she was gazing into his soul.

A minute later, Harry was startled to hear a voice in head. "You are a worthy one, young one and hence I have approached you. Thank you for saving my life and the life of my unborn foal." Harry did not realize that the Unicorn was pregnant. "For this I owe you at least one life debt. I see that you have a bond with your familiar. Why not you create a bond with me using my life debt so that we may communicate mentally?"

Harry went into a deep trance and entered his meeting room. He concentrated hard and willed his magic to create a connection with the female unicorn. He opened his eyes in the meeting room to see a 1 foot high unicorn on his table. "Thank you young one!" the unicorn spoke in English with a slight accent.

"What do you I call you, O glorious one?" Harry asked politely. He was still in awe that the Unicorn had approached him. He now understood why girls were so crazy about Unicorns.

"You will not be able to speak my Unicorn name young one. But you may call me 'Silver'." The Unicorn replied.

"That is a beautiful name. May I offer sanctuary to your Unicorn herd on my lands at Godrics Hollow? I promise you that there are no Acromantula there."

The Unicorn chuckled. "The big man was the one who introduced Acromantula in this forest. They are usually not native to these parts of the world. Ever since the dark one imprisoned the basilisk and corrupted his brain, the Acromantula have had no natural enemies. They have multiplied at an enormous rate have killed many members of my herd and the centaurs. If this continues, both our species in this forest will be extinct. We may choose to move our herd under your protection temporarily, but we would love to come back to this forest again. I will talk to my herd and let you know."

"I was the one who killed the basilisk as its mind had been tampered with. I feel bad that I have further worsened the situation, by killing their natural enemy. I promise that I will do everything I can to improve your living conditions." Harry replied solemnly.

"Take care young one! Now I need to find my herd." The Unicorn trotted away happily.

As Harry came out of the trance, he realized that he was surrounded by even more centaurs than before. A regal looking centaur walked up to him and bowed before him and said, "Anybody who has a Unicorn as a familiar is worthy of my respect."

Harry bowed even lower and said, "I am but a young wizard with much to learn. I do not deserve such respect from you, O Great Chief of the Centaur Clan." Modesty in the face of praise was a much lauded Centaurian trait and Harry did not really need to pretend to feel it.

"Welcome to the home of the Centaurian herd, Mr. Potter. You may call me Chief Magorian," the regal looking Centaur said.

"Thank you Chief Magorian. Please call me Harry. This is one of my soul-bonded wives, Luna Lovegood-Potter. She prefers to be called Luna. And this is Dormier David Potter formerly known by his house-Elf name Dobby." Harry introduced his companions.

"Very interesting! I thought your kind were either forever enslaved or killed." Chief Magorian commented.

Dobby bowed to the Centaur and said, "Harry Potter, though he may not acknowledge it, is a great wizard. I is the soul-bonded brother of the great Harry Potter. He is working towards breaking the bindings of the enslaved house-Elves."

"Tell me Harry! Do you know why you have been summoned by the Centaurs?" Harry shook his head. "You have been summoned because you have destroyed the natural enemy of the Acromantula who are terrorizing the forest and may lead the death of my herd. So the Centaur elders have met and found you guilty of the crime and you have to pay reparations."

Harry looked at him with a puzzled expression. "Pardon me Chief Magorian. Did I hear that the Centaur Elders have found me guilty of killing the Basilisk and I have to pay reparations?" Harry enquired. The Chief centaur nodded.

"Under what law was I found guilty?" Harry enquired.

"Under the Centaurian laws, the oldest laws in the forest." The Chief explained.

"I would like to talk to Centaur Elders to discuss my case." Harry said firmly.

"How dare you speak to the chief in that tone, you lowly two-legged creature?" Harry realized that comment was from Bane. Harry turned to him and said, "Bane, must I remind you that under Centaurian laws and customs, the accused has every right to argue his crime with the herd elders?" The centaur bristled at the insult. "He really must have fallen on his head when he was born!" muttered Harry. Seeing the looks of confusion on the centaurs, Harry realized that it was normal for Centaurs to fall on their heads when they were born. "Or maybe he did not land on his head!" Harry muttered again.

"No need to insult anyone Harry, the elders are here now." Chief Magorian said.

"May I ask honored elders as to your jurisdiction on the cases you pass judgment on?" Harry enquired.

A pompous centaurian elder came forward and said, "Any crime committed within the forest comes under our jurisdiction young wizard. That includes trespassing for which you have already been given a warning."

"Yes! And you kicked out Firenze from the herd for helping me." Harry muttered. "Tell me honored elder, did my crime of killing the Basilisk occur within the confines of the forbidden forest?"

There was an immediate whispering through out the assembled herd. The centaur elder sputtered, "No, the crime occurred within the castle. But you have to pay for your actions." He said indignantly.

Harry laughed! He knew he was committing a faux-pas, but this attitude of Centaurs was ridiculous. "When the castle is not under your jurisdiction, how can you feel morally superior to try me?"

"Four years ago, My friends and I entered the forest to investigate and protect the unicorns. We received word that a Unicorn had been slayed for its blood. We came into the forest as protectors and the great centaurs in their almighty moral superiority accused us of trespassing. Tell me honored elder, did you get rid of the dark wraith that was feeding on the Unicorn's blood? You elder council had the gall to banish the centaur who attacked that dark wraith and banished him just because he interacted with a lowly two-legged creature."

"The banished centaur became a teacher in our school. What greater _Punya_ could a centaur gain than by becoming a teacher? Isn't _Aacharya Devo Bhava_ sacred these days? Are teachers not considered as Gods these days in your culture? Have you become barbarians too?" Harry was on a roll.

"HOW DARE YOU!" Bane shouted. "I dare because I am correct. Let any elder centaur swear to me on his honor that I am wrong, and I will forfeit my life." Harry declared quietly.

"There is no difference between the Centaurs and the pureblooded ministry. They live within isolated areas of their own world with their own prejudices. The ministry calls the centaurs creatures and the centaurs call all men lowly two-legged creatures. Tell me what is the difference and why are centaurs morally superior?" Harry asked the entire centaur herd.

"Is this the way you seek to attain '_moksha_' or '_nirvana_' by being prejudiced and proud? Aren't those cardinal sins according to your own culture?" Harry asked.

Luna and Dobby looked on as Harry antagonized the centaurs further. "Come here young wizard." Harry moved towards the old wizened female centaur who had spoken. She went down on all her knees, bent her body and hands forward and touched Harry's feet. "I seek forgiveness on behalf of my entire herd young wizard. We have been biased for too long. We lost track of what our ancestors taught us."

Harry realized that this was the worst way of saluting the centaurs did, only to be used when genuinely pleading for leniency. Harry jumped back, lifted the old centaur by her shoulders and hugged her. "You are the wise ones, o elder. I am but a lowly young wizard. I have the bad habit of rushing into trouble and complicating things. I apologize for any insult I may have made which under the influence of my young age, hormones and temper. My teacher Firenze taught me well and would be angry at my behavior. Please forgive me." Harry bowed to her.

"You young wizard have a very good heart. Let me introduce myself. I am Ananda, the eldest centaur of this herd. You and your friends are welcome to visit our herd anytime you want."

"Thank you kind lady. Though my 'crime' does not fall under your jurisdiction, I would still want to do something to improve your living conditions here. I am familiar with how the Acromantula came into living in this forest. I am also aware of the young giant living here. The Basilisk's mind was corrupted by the dark wizard Lord Voldemort many years ago and caged him to live in the castle, thus living the Acromantula free reign to reproduce and wreak havoc. When it started petrifying the students in the castle and threatened to kill them, I had to go into the hidden chamber of secrets and kill the Basilisk." Harry explained.

"Here is what I would like to offer. I will offer a safe-sanctuary to the women, children and young couples in a forest in Ottery St. Catchpole. I have recently acquired the land and the forest and plan to grow medicinal plants there as a business. My team is currently working on creating a cure for many illnesses and conditions such as Lycanthropy. To fund this research, I have also started a house-construction business and a broomstick company for which I need to acquire a lot of wood that is both magical and non-magical. If the centaurs will take it in the spirit of brotherhood, I will propose a deal." The centaur elders nodded.

"If you can help with your centaur magic with the growing of these medicinal plants and the trees required for my companies, I will rid you of the Acromantula menace here. I will also create you Elven-portals to various forests in the world so that the centaur elders may start on their _Yatra_ whenever they wish. The non-magical humans outnumber magical humans by 1000 to one and are there everywhere. These portals will ensure that you are not seen by these people. I could also buy anything else the centaurs might need from the outside world. Believe me, I am rich enough and I really don't need all that money. Is that something that would interest the Centaurs?"

The elder centaurs had a blank expression on their face which led to Harry believing that they were discussing the matter with all the other centaurs. "Very well Harry! We will take your deal. However a few centaur warriors would like to stay back to fight the Acromantula."

"Whoever said anything about fighting the Acromantula? There must be thousands of them." Harry quipped while Bane bristled. "I said I would get rid of them from this forest. I will try to do that peacefully."

"Good luck Harry!" Ananda said. "We would prefer not to come into contact with many humans at our new abode."

"Of course, My lady. My 'green-universe' as I am going to call my land and the forest, will be protected from other humans. The only ones who will work there are my friends who have much respect for an old race such as the centaurs. I have also offered refuge to the Unicorns to move to my lands in Godrics Hollow. I can create portals between the forbidden forest and these two forests so that you may move around freely."

"Tell me young wizard. How did you learn so much about centaur cultures. It takes our young ones years to learn it." Another elder enquired.

"What can I say, Kind sir? Firenze is a great teacher and I learnt it quickly because I am privy to a Goblin secret, which unfortunately I cannot reveal."

Harry, Luna and Dobby after leaving the Centaurian herd, decided that their last meeting for the day would be with the Acromantulae. They started walking towards the giant spiders hole. An hour later, they found themselves surrounded by spiders on all sides. The clicking of their pincers and legs will a continuous white noise now.

"We come in peace and as a friend of Hagrid, I have come to talk to Aragog." Harry declared.

"Aragog does not have time to talk to food that has wandered voluntarily into our den." A spider said and all the other spiders started converging onto the trio. Harry drew his wand and shouted _incendio_. Harry was surprised to see a huge 10-foot high circle of fire radiate outwards with them as the epicenter.

Dobby had put up a strong shield to ensure that the trio would not get fried by the fire. When the fire died down, all the Acromantulae in a 100 feet radius were dead. Luna hastily cast _Aguamenti_ to douse the trees that had caught fire. There was no point in starting a forest fire.

"Who are you, O powerful wizard?" Harry heard a female voice enquire. "We have never met a wizard who could conjure this kind of fire before. My name is Mosag and I am Aragog's bonded."

"Good evening Mosag! I am very sorry to meet under these circumstances. I told them that we are here in peace and wished to talk to Aragog. We are Hagrid's friends."

"Ah! I remember you young one! You had come into our lair 3 years ago. I am glad you could get out of here safely. You are also the slayer of the great snake!" Mosag's eyes widened if that was possible. "As the destroyer of the great snake, we Acromantula consider you our leader now. Alas, Aragog is too old to talk to a Human, But I can talk for him. Any friend of Hagrid is a friend of mine. But Aragog and I could never control our children." Mosag explained.

"That is exactly what I have come to discuss Mosag. Why is it that you are not able to control your children?"

Mosag sighed and said, "There is no food in the forest. It is difficult to control someone who is hungry."

"Mosag! Here is the problem. Acromantula are supposed to be found only in Borneo. This forest is not a natural habitat for Acromantulae. There is not enough traditional food for you and your children. There are no natural enemies now that the Basilisk," Mosag hissed at the name of the snake. "I mean, the great snake is dead. The Acromantulae have reproduced out of limits dictated by nature's laws. So they are killing other animals who are not usually their natural food."

"Mosag, did you know that seven of your grown children tried to attack a pregnant female unicorn today?" Harry enquired.

Mosag gasped. "NO! I taught them better. They would not attack a unicorn of all animals and that too a pregnant one."

"Well, they did. I had to intervene and save the unicorn who is now my familiar." Mosag looked at Harry in awe.

"I cannot let this mayhem continue. As the slayer of the Basilisk", Mosag hissed, "It is my duty to bring out some sort of a balance in this forest. Here is what I propose Mosag! I am going to create 5 Elven portals from here. One portal leads to the base of a mountain in Scandinavia where I hear there are at least a thousand trolls living." Trolls were the traditional food of the Acromantula.

"Another portal will lead to the caves in the Alps where the giants live. The Acromantula are no match for the giants, but they could feed on dead and dying giants. From what I read, the giants fight amongst themselves often."

"The third portal will lead to a forest in South America which is rich in animals. The drawback here is that there are anacondas there. Though they are not your traditional enemies, it is still a snake."

"The fourth portal will lead to an island that is guarded under heavy charms. Acromantulae are free to roam around on this island. I will ensure that enough food is available there. In return for food, I will expect these Acromantula to produce your silk and venom which will be harvested on a regular basis."

"The fifth portal leads to death. The bodies and venom of the Acromantulae will be used in potions and for other defense purposes."

"All five portals will have a charm on them that will ensure that the Acromantula do not breed indiscriminately and will only breed when the balance has been achieved."

"The other option of course is that I hunt down every Acromantula in this forbidden forest and exterminate them. I really hate to exercise this option. Hence I ask you Mosag and Aragog to please make that decision. The portals will be anonymous and once they cross, they cannot come back. Dobby and I will create these portals and then try to portkey a couple of trolls for your feast. You may then talk to your children and make a decision. Are you okay with this arrangement, Mosag and Aragog?"

"Yes, we are, Young wizard. Thank you for not destroying all of us. Aragog is dying and I am too old to move. Would it be alright if only we both stay behind? This forest has many good memories for both of us. We promise that we wont hunt."

"Yes, of course Mosag. If Hagrid comes into the forest, please do not tell him about my involvement and the portals. Just tell him that the Acromantula have gone away in search of food."

Harry was so tired that he was about to drop where he stood. He quickly took a Goblin portkey to the Den, stripped to his boxers on the way to his bathroom and got into the warm bath that Winky had already set for him. He closed his eyes and drifted off into a deep sleep. Harry never noticed the four witches joining him in the bathtub and keeping him company. He did not wake up when Winky came in a hour later, changed him into a fresh set of boxers and tucked him into the bed. The witches quickly dried themselves, changed and crept into bed with him. Harry let out a contented sigh in his sleep as soon as the warm bodies touched him.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14: Letters and Wills**

Harry woke up early the next day and was disoriented. He did not remember having gone to bed. He realized that Daphne was stuck to his left side of the body. Her head was on his chest where his heart was, her left hand was thrown across his waist and her left leg thrown across his thighs. Both bodies were flush with each other and Harry enjoyed the warmth between them. _'Waking up like this is Heaven'_, Harry mused. As soon as he thought that thought, he heard the distinct voice of Daphne sniggering and say, _'You mean enjoying PLEASANT dreams and waking up with morning wood?'_ Daphne asked suggestively and to prove her point, moved her left thigh higher.

_'DAPHNE! Stop teasing me',_ Harry screamed mentally. The other witches woke up oh hearing the mental scream and soon realized what was going on. It started as a giggle and soon turned out to be raucous laughter. Harry did the only thing he thought would work, he started tickling all of them. Even a great wizard like Harry Potter needs to remember that it is suicide to try and tackle four witches all at once. As they stumbled into the dining room still laughing, Winky handed Harry a letter from Ron.

_Hey mate,_

_I have some great news! My family and I are going on a vacation for two weeks to Romania to visit my brother Charlie. I was bored out of my mind having absolutely nothing to do other than spending time at home with Ginny. Bill, though he is in the country, has moved into an flat of his own. The prat Percy walked out of home after exchanging words with dad and mom. The twins have moved into a flat above their shop in Diagon Alley. I have not been to their shop yet, but they did say something about their owl-order business doing pretty well. They can't wait for the reopening day._

_How are you doing? I know that you must be blaming yourself over Sirius' death, but IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT. Are the muggles treating you okay? Mum asked me to find out if you have been eating enough. What is this I hear about you wanting to stay with those muggles the whole summer? I have not heard from Hermione, but I expect to see her during Sirius' will reading today afternoon. Will you be coming there?_

_Ron_

_PS: Ginny asked me if you are making use of the journal she had given you._

Harry snorted when he saw the postscript. He silently passed it to Hermione, who passed it to the others without reading it.

"Don't you want to read it Mia?" Harry asked amusedly. He knew that Hermione was the most curious person he had ever me. She hated being kept in the dark however inane the knowledge maybe.

Hermione grinned and said cryptically, "But I already read it Harry!"

Harry looked at her in confusion while she had a smug expression on her face. It then occurred to Harry that Hermione read the letter while Harry was reading it. "You mean to tell me that, you can see through my eyes? Can you hear what I hear too?" Harry stammered.

Hermione laughed out loud. "Of course I can Harry. And so can you. Have you ever been into my meeting room?" Everyone at the table looked at her in awe. "Why not all of you come in and I will explain?"

Harry and the three witches went into a trance and entered Hermione's meeting room. Harry was not very surprised to see that the room resembled the study at the Den. The only difference was that there were four large screen televisions mounted on a blank screen in a 2 X 2. There were five comfortable chairs and each settled into one. "Each of these televisions shows what each of you are seeing. It is a little disconcerting when you are dreaming with your eyes closed. Sometimes, the flashes of those dream images appear on the screen." The audience congratulated on her foresight! They were going to adopt it pretty soon in their meeting rooms.

Out of no where, Crookshanks ran around chasing an imaginary mice. Not able to catch it, he jumped onto Hermione's lap and demanded that she pet him. "Mia, you have a familiar bond with Crookshanks! That is awesome. Now you can communicate with him!" Harry exclaimed.

"Yep! Harry. I am very happy with it. I hear from Luna that you have a new familiar bond?" Hermione grinned and asked, "May we go and greet her?"

"What new familiar bond? I thought Hedwig was his familiar." Daphne stated. "You mean, he has more than one familiar bond? But that is unheard of" Susan said.

"Wait till you see what it is! Welcome to Harry's not-so-normal life!" Hermione and Luna grinned even wider while Harry groaned.

The witches moved into Harry's meeting room in his mind. "A UNICORN?????" Daphne gasped! "H-H-HOW??" Susan stuttered.

"I think you should just watch the memories." Harry willed a large television to appear on a blank wall and replay his memories from the previous days meetings.

"Harry, you do know that Ginny has the other journal that is connected to your journal right?" Hermione enquired quietly.

"Yes Mia! I figured it out. I thought it was like an artificial intelligence thing, but I realized that the Journal knew too many facts. So I narrowed it down to a handful of people who would know those details. After that it was easy. The twins are geniuses! I can't believe Ginny let them create a journal like that!"

"You think that the twins created the journal?" Hermione asked with narrowing eyes.

It suddenly clicked in Harry's mind. "It was you! You invented that! That is amazing Mia! You are a genius. I need to take back all those compliments I gave the twins and give it to you." Harry embraced her enthusiastically.

"It is part of my contract with them. I need to invent three new items for them within these two months." Hermione smiled. "Why did you not tell me that you were their silent partner and initial investor?" Hermione swatted his arm and hugged him back.

While Harry was reading the letter from Ron, Albus Dumbledore was reading the letter that the snowy owl had delivered.

_Headmaster,_

_I am doing fine and I am writing to let you know that I will continue living with my aunt till the end of the summer. I have not gotten into any argument with my relatives and I have been feeding myself much better._

_I have received a letter from Gringotts informing me of Sirius' will reading today at 2 PM. Will someone be coming to escort me to Gringotts or should I make my own arrangements?_

_On a different note, there seems to have been a falling out between my aunt and my uncle. My uncle decided that he and Dudley needed to bond and have gone on a month long vacation to Aunt Marge's house. Since that day, Aunt Petunia has had a change in her physical appearance. She now looks like an older version of mom with red hair and green eyes. I wonder if she was under an enchantment and if so who cast it. But as you know, she hates to talk about magic and so I haven't asked her._

_Harry Potter_

_PS: I have not heard from either Ron or Hermione. Are they doing okay? Have all their injuries healed?_

The twinkle in Albus Dumbledore's eyes became much more pronounced as he read the rest of the letter. This is the first long non-hostile letter he had received from Harry. He was not going to risk taking Harry to Gringotts for Sirius' will reading. Who knows what Sirius has planned for Harry. You can never truly trust a prankster. Albus took a sheet of paper, wrote a short note and gave it back to Hedwig to deliver it to Harry.

"Aren't you a popular guy today?" Hermione teased as she handed Harry the new mail that Harry had received through 'Rune-Mail'. Susan had been given the opportunity to name the mailing system they had created. Unlike the floo network, there was no central hub for this type of transport and hence it could not be monitored. The customers get to choose the name they want to associate with their Rune-Mail mat even though they come with a unique identifier. Susan's team had worked out all the kinks out of that system and was also compatible with Hermione's Wizion's shopping channels. All the customers had to do was tap the mat with their wand and say 'I wish to name this mat ___YOUR_NAME____' to name the mat. The mat would lock the magical signature of the owner and only the owner can make any changes later. If the mat glowed green, then the new name has been accepted and if it glowed red, then it means that someone else had already taken up that name. While sending anything to any person, the customers would place their letter on the mat and tap the mat and say 'send to __RECIPIENT'S_NAME__'. If the correct receiver's mat-name was pronounced, then the mat would glow green before transporting the letter. If it was incorrect, then the mat would glow red and nothing would happen. Susan's team was currently working on creating a 'receive from ________' function that would be useful to receive catalogs or order forms from various stores.

Harry looked at his mail and had received a letter from Mrs. Longbottom and another from Neville. The twins had also sent a letter. The Goblins had forwarded the letters from the broomstick twins and Cho and Su. Harry was deciding which letter he would open first when he saw Hedwig fly in with the Headmasters reply. He decided to open that the last. The first letter he opened was from Mrs. Longbottom.

_Boss,_

_Imagine my surprise when I received a visit from Ragnok at my residence yesterday evening. The Minister and the members of the Wizengamot have tried for years to get an appointment to meet him and here, he walks into my house and announces himself. [Harry laughed.]_

_Ragnok explained to me the wards that have been placed in our new office building which is under the Fidelius charm. I did not know that we were moving into a new building, which from the floor plans I saw, is amazing. There are even Polyjuice, Animagus and Metamorphomagus screening wards! Every employee has restricted access ONLY to the area of business that they need access to._

_In stead of enchanting the Victorian era printing machines from the old office, Ragnok told me that they were acquiring new magical presses from Germany in a day and within a couple of days, we should have our automated presses ready. The Goblins are acquiring machines required to recycle the newsprint and the ink. Ragnok informs me that the Elves have started mass producing the Rune-Mail mats and they will be ready in 3-4 days. He also had a list of potential employees and summer interns for me to interview and hire. We should be ready for launch by the 28th of July or do you want to wait till the 31st?_

_Are the Goblins the most efficient people in world or did you charge them with these jobs before you invited me for the meeting? When I asked Ragnok how he knew everything we discussed, he said that you were 'their friend' and friends look out for each other. I am freaking out here, did Ragnok just call you a 'Goblin-friend'?_

_AOL_

_PS: AOL stands for 'Augusta Olivia Longbottom'_

Harry laughed at Mrs. Longbottom's initials and laughed even louder when he realized Neville's initials. His middle name was Franklin. He took a sheet of paper and wrote a short reply to Mrs. Longbottom that July 28th would be a convenient date. He also confirmed that he had been named a 'Goblin-friend' and asked her to keep this information secret. He told her that he had a secure and fast mechanism to communicate with the Goblins and they took the initiative in all that they presented to you yesterday. Harry thanked her for her update and requested that he not be called 'Boss', but he was sure that he would not win this battle. Harry picked up the next letter from Neville.

_Dear Harry,_

_I hope you are doing okay and not blaming yourself for what happened. All I say is that we learn from our mistakes and move on. I have been having a good summer so far. My gran asked me yesterday to show her what happened at the Ministry in a pensieve. She was so proud of me that she hugged me and apologized for being cold towards me during my childhood. My gran is not angry that my fathers wand was broken. In fact she offered to buy me a custom made wand!!! Do you know how expensive they are?_

_I have another piece of good news. I have been offered a Summer Internship in a Herbology and Potions project. Apparently my expertise in Herbology was what landed me this internship. I am to supervise building of a large greenhouse. My co-interns according to my gran are potions geniuses. Do you remember the two pretty girls in Slytherin, Greengrass and Davis? Davis is the one with the twinkle in her eye, Greengrass is more aloof._

_Anyway, I hope you are doing fine and I hope your muggle relatives are treating you well. I felt like sharing the good news with a friend and you are the first person I could think of. My gran told me that she would send this letter to you through secure channels._

_Thank you Harry._

_Neville_

"Mia, what do you know about custom wands?" Harry enquired on reading Neville's letter.

"Custom wands as the name means are custom made for each wizard or witch. They usually involve the wand maker letting the customer choose the core materials and the wood and crafting the wand. The custom wands are more powerful as runes are placed on the wands to make it more attuned to the customers magical core. As these wands are custom made, they do no usually chose another wizard and hence are not passed on to the children. Only those who have given the OWLs are allowed to buy these wands as the magic core is not as settled in younger children. They cost anywhere from 100-200 galleons based on the ingredients and core."

"Do you think I should get custom wands for everyone?" Harry asked innocently.

Hermione's smile widened. She beamed and said, "Yet another thing to add to Sirius' will huh?"

"Great idea! Let me contact Griphook", Harry said and went into a trance.

A few minutes later, Harry grinned and as he read the next letter, he had a frown on his face.

_Mr. Potter,_

_We regret to inform you that Mr. Vernon Drusley was executed yesterday for crimes against Gringotts, Goblins, Goblin-friend, squibs and fellow muggles. The crimes for which Mr. Drusley was found guilty were endangerment of a magical child, physical and mental abuse of the said child, domestic violence, theft, embezzlement, statutory rape (52 counts), and finally assault of a security Goblin. It was this last crime that lead to the quick execution of Mr. Drusley._

_Mr. Dudley Drusley has been moved into the care of his mother Ms. Marjorie Drusley and they both have been obliviated and given newer memories. As Mr. Drusley was the primary breadwinner of Ms. Drusley, we have transferred an amount of 78,000 GBP to her account. According to their new memories, this money will be perceived as life insurance that Mr. Drusley received following his auto crash in which he lost his life._

_Ms. Petunia Dursley had requested a change in name to Ms. Petunia Evans and we have invoked an old Goblin spell to effect the name. Everyone in the magical world will remember her as Ms. Petunia Crouch Evans. The only exceptions would be the Goblins and her immediate family, which means you and your wives._

_Thank you,_

_Gavelclaw, Goblin legal department_

"Mia, have you seen Aunt Petunia? I have not seen her the whole of yesterday." Harry enquired.

"Harry, she is with my mom and dad. She needed to get out of this place and I agree. I am sure that mom is taking care of her. I will tell her that you were enquiring about her the next time I talk to mom. Apparently your aunt gave a lot of great suggestions to the POMS as to how to go about recruiting muggleborns to Hogwarts. My mom Apparently caught her a number of times watching herself in the mirror. I think she likes the new look."

"POMS?" "Parents Of Muggleborn Students, Harry! Were you not listening to me yesterday?"

"Sorry, I forgot!" Harry apologized.

_Max, You Rule! Prototype ready in 4 days! Wood? Core? - The Famous Twins (Not The Notorius Ones)_

Harry burst out laughing at the short note from the broomstick twins and handed the note to Hermione who soon joined in the laughter. Harry then opened the report from Cho Chang and Su Li next.

_Master Goblin Viperblade,_

_We have been tasked to find a way to break the magical core bindings on creatures known as house-Elves. After extensive research, we are pleased to inform you that we have a lead. Cho Chang has found a Chinese spell to detect bindings on the magical cores which she has described in the attached report. Su Li has searched through Japanese spells to find the solution, but was not successful. Su has however found a very old Japanese book in her parents library that described the Elven wars of 1020s AD. There was a footnote mentioned that the captured Elves were bound as slaves by the wizard of 'Bad Faith'. No other references were made of this wizard in any other literature. We have enclosed copies of the relevant pages._

_Thank you,_

_Cho Chang and Su Li_

"Mia, what do you think of this? What was the prominent religion during those times? Was following another religion considered being a bad faith wizard?"

"Umm... I don't think it would have anything to do with religion. Hold on! I recognize this phrase 'Bad Faith'." She went into a meditative trance and a few minutes later, she was beaming, "I got it! Malfoy"

"What? How?"

"Malfoy comes from the french word, 'Mal Foi' which means 'Bad Faith'", Hermione explained.

"Why am I not surprised?" Harry groaned. "I think this adds another item to Sirius' will." "Yes, it does."

As soon as Harry touched the next envelope with the 'WWW' logo, it started smoking and it suddenly burst open.

"Mr. Harry Potter..."

"How dare you call..."

"Our joke shop Pedestrian..."

"Compared to Our Potions Company?"

"Wait a minute, my twin..."

"Yes, my other twin?"

"Did you say 'Our' Potions Company?"

"I believe I did so, my brother!"

"So he compared two companies we three own?"

"You seem to have a point, my brother!"

"Anyway, ickle Harrikins has been holding out on us!"

"Mastery in Potions, courtesy a beautiful Slytherin..."

"Mastery in Runes, courtesy our favorite Gryffindor..."

"Mastery in Wards, courtesy another cute Gryffindor..."

"But seriously, what you did was WOW!!..."

"Now we wont have to spend hours..."

"Brewing the same potions again and again..."

"We would love to accept..."

"A position in the Potions Company..."

"Two pranksters taking over the wizarding finances..."

"What better prank can there be?..."

"We hope to see you at the will reading..."

"Tata..."

"Adios..."

"Good bye, my friend..."

"Adieu, mom ami..."

The yellow envelope transfigured itself into a parchment and landed in Harry's lap. "What was that?"

Hermione giggled, "That was my second invention. I called it 'The Love Note'. I got the idea from the howlers that Mrs. Weasley loves to send when she is pissed off. I thought it would make sense to be able to send a letter incorporating your voice that you can send your friend. I would be like a little personal touch. How do you like it?"

"Mia! That is amazing. I thought I was listening to a voice recording of the twins. Initially I was scared that it was a howler and was ready to run." Hermione laughed at Harry's confession.

"Open it already!" Hermione hissed. "You know he is going to say no to going to the Will reading?"

"Alright! Alright! Let me open it." Harry grumbled.

_Mr. Potter,_

_Thank you for your letter. I am glad to know that you are doing better. I would really want to mend our relationship and bridge the chasm that has separated us. I respect your request that you wish to stay with your aunt. Mr. Moody will be your escort during your OWL exams and I am very glad that you are putting in effort to better your performance._

_I am not sure of any enchantment your aunt was under. I have not specifically looked for it, but when you are as old as I am, you tend to know when someone is under a glamour. And it is impossible for a muggle to maintain a glamour spell. Anyway, as you said it, she doesn't want to talk about magic, so I wont bring it up._

_About going to the Will reading, I am afraid that is not possible. There is too much risk. Some of those attending the will reading are former member of the Black family and it would be just too dangerous for you to be there. I hope you understand my basis for this decision. I shall act as your voice during the will reading an inform you of the outcome._

_Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

"His carrot and stick approach!" Harry sighed. "Guess I kind of expected that." His face the glowed as he struck upon an idea. He batted his eyelids at Hermione and asked, "Hermione, will you be my eyes and ears at the reading please?"

"What will I get in return?" Hermione asked amusedly.

"Whatever you want, Hermione, Whatever you want!" Harry replied solemnly.

"You are no fun Harry Potter! You are not supposed to give in like that! Otherwise how will I rile you up?" Hermione pouted.

"Umm, Mia! Is this your flirting modus-operandi? I think you are missing Ron." Harry said cheekily. "Ewww..."

"Welcome to the will reading of Sirius Orion Black. My name is Glofoot and I will be the Goblin who will conduct the business today. As with any will readings, some of the parties may not like what the deceased has to say. If there is any unrest, we will be forced to eject you from Gringotts, freeze your accounts with us and ban you from entering Gringotts. If you draw your wand on a Goblin, the punishment is execution on the spot. Do you all understand the seriousness of what I just explained?" The Goblin enquired and received nods from every head in the room.

The room in which they were meeting for the will reading was a large room that could easily seat about 40 people. In the center of the room on the far side was a podium on which the Goblin stood. In front of the podium were some tables with pensieves on it. Next to the podium was a portrait on an easel that was covered with a cloth.

Seated in the room were Narcissa Malfoy, Draco Malfoy on the far right hand side. The larger crowd consisted of Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, Alastair Moody, Nymphadora Tonks and her mother Andromeda Tonks, Remus Lupin, Mundungus Fletcher, all the Weasleys except Percy, Fleur Delacour, Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood. In the center and at the back were the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, head of DMLE, Amelia Bones and Auror Kingsley Shacklebolt.

"Now that everyone has understood the rules, let us start this will reading. Sirius Orion Black has left us something called a living will which means that his portrait has the right to make changes to his will anytime before it is executed. Without much further ado, here is the portrait of Sirius Orion Black." The Goblin removed the cloth covering the portrait.

"Ah! You guys are all here. Welcome to my will reading." The portrait spoke. "Where is Harry?" Sirius enquired.

"Mr. Black, Harry could not come to the will reading as we fear for his security here. I volunteered to act as his voice during the will reading and will pass on anything that I learn here to him." Albus Dumbledore stood up and explained to the portrait.

"Very well! Let the show begin." Sirius chuckled. "I have had a lot of trouble with the law during my short life, in spite of me being innocent. Whether is it because of vile politicians or manipulative do-gooders, I have always received the short end of the stick. So here is what I am going to do." Sirius said with a maniacal grin. "I wish to cast off every person who was born a Black out of the family tree." There were many gasps in the room. Sirius ignored that and continued. "I wish to give away most of the Black fortune so that no one will ever fight for this money." There were more gasps in the room.

"Let us start with this side of the room. Cissy and Draco! How are you both doing?" Narcissa smiled at him sadly. Draco looked at Sirius as if he had grown a pair of horns. "Don't look at me like that Draco! Narcissa used to be my favorite cousin before she married your father. So here is what I am going to do. I wish to give Andromeda Tonks, Nymphadora Tonks, Narcissa Malfoy, Draco Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange..." As expected there was a lot of commotion in the room. "How can you give anything to the Malfoys? They are Slytherins! And Bellatrix killed you!" Ron Exclaimed.

"Yes, I know Bellatrix shot the stunner that lead to my death. But tell me who dies because of a stunner? My death was an accident, I happened to be in front of the veil when I was stunned. Also, might I remind you Mr. Weasley that this is my will reading and I can do whatever I want?" Sirius looked at Ron with a stern expression. Ron bristled and quieted down.

"As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted, I wish to give each of the 5 names I mentioned earlier, a sum of 100,000 galleons provided they agree to a few conditions. This is a significant part of the Black fortune. For Narcissa and Draco, you need to look into the memories in the first pensieve before you can look at your other conditions. For Nymphadora, I wish her to take a 2-year sabbatical from the Auror force and from the bird club to enjoy life." Sirius smiled at his grinning niece.

"Alas, Bella is not here with us today. If any of you do not claim your share or do not wish to accept the conditions, your share will revert to my Godson Harry James Potter. As I have cast you all out of the Black family, I hereby pass on the hereditary Wizengamot seat of Lord Black to my godson Harry Potter."

Narcissa and Draco walked towards the first table and sat in the chairs in front of it. They carefully touched the runes on the edge of the pensieve and their minds were sucked into the memories.

"Well, now they can't hear us for at least 45 minutes. Next is our honorable minister's turn. Cornelius, you have denied me a trial and have dumped me in Azkaban for all those years. You have denied the rebirth of Voldemort in spite of all the evidence shown. I wish to donate 200,000 galleons to DMLE for their training and equipment provided you look at the evidence presented to you and judge me impartially. Madam Bones, Auror Shacklebolt, I wish you both and the Minister to look at the memories I have collected to prove my innocence and guilt of Peter Pettigrew, who is still alive today." Madam Bones, Shacklebolt and Fudge moved to the front of the room to view the memories.

"Now it is just Harry's friends and the Order members. For Ronald Weasley, Ginevra Weasley, Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood, I leave you each a total of 50,000 galleons. This money would be deposited into a Gringotts vault and I have put a spending restriction of 500 galleons per month. Each of you will have access to this vault irrespective of whether you are considered an adult or not. Mrs. Weasley, you will not try to block their access to their vaults." Mrs. Weasley bristled at that, as that was exactly what she was planning to do. Sirius chuckled at her expression.

"Ron, I don't want you to blow all your money on an expensive broomstick like the Firebolt. Ron and Hermione, you have been Harry's best friends and I thank you for that. Ron, your friendship with Harry has been marred with bouts of Jealousy and pettiness on your part. I hope this will not be the trend in the future. I also have 100 vouchers that you may feel free to distribute to worthy friends. These are not to be opened in the presence of adults. Neville, Luna and Ginevra, thank you for being Harry's friends and for coming to my rescue at the ministry." Sirius winked.

"To the rest of the Weasleys, I leave a sum of 10,000 galleons each. This includes Percival Weasley, but he will have to apologize to his parents for his behavior." The Weasley matriarch smiled at that. "To the Weasley twins, I also leave all the boxes that contain the marauders prank journals." The twins stood up and danced a jig. "I also have a very special surprise for you Arthur." The Goblin handed over a shrunken box. "Please look at the contents of the box at your leisure." Arthur took the box and put it in his pocket.

"To Albus Dumbledore, I wish to leave 50,000 galleons to be used to run the Order of the Phoenix. I also give you permission to use my old home as your Headquarters with two stipulations. The secret keeper will always share the secret with the owner of the house and no one other than the owner shall destroy or remove any item from the house that includes books, furniture, portraits etc. In fact, I request the Goblins to retrieve all the missing books from the Black library and seal it so that only the owner has access to the library." The Goblin and the Headmaster nodded.

"To Minerva McGonagall and Severus Snape, yes I got the name right this time, I wish to leave 10,000 galleons and request that you forgive us for all our teenage transgressions and if possible think of us pranksters fondly. Come on Moony! Don't be so surprised. I can act the mature guy once in a while." Sirius chuckled.

"To Mad-eye Moody, I leave you 10,000 galleons too along with this envelope. This contains a voucher to pay the costs at a new prosthetic company that will help you with a prosthetic limb and an internal magic eye. I will not take no for an answer. I have confirmed that you will be conscious during both the procedures." Mad-eye chuckled and thanked him.

"To Mundungus Fletcher, I leave you 10,000 galleons provided you return all the things you have filched from my ancestral home." Everyone laughed at the embarrassed Fletcher.

"To Fleur Delacour, I have not known you for very long. But I leave you 5,000 galleons and an invitation to a very interesting meeting tomorrow. Could you and your sister Gabriel please attend it? I believe she is currently visiting you. The Goblins will help you fix up the meeting."

"My dear friend Moony! I have a very interesting offer for you. First, I want you to quit the Order of the Phoenix." There were many gasps in the room. Moony knew that Sirius had a flair for the dramatic and hence looked at him in amusement. "Second, I give you 75,000 galleons for your personal use. Believe me, you will need it when you hear the third point." Everyone waited with bated breath. "Third, I wish you to offer you a job. This job requires secrecy oaths that will clash with you duties in the Order of the Phoenix and hence I asked you to quit it." Sirius smiled impishly.

"And what kind of a job is that, Sirius?" Remus asked innocently.

"Its the same thing that you have always been doing. Working towards the betterment of lives of Werewolves. I have started an organization called the 'Welfare of Lycanthropes Foundation' otherwise known as WOLF. This is an apolitical organization and hence the clash in your allegiances. I wish you to lead the organization and help it achieve its goals. The Goblins will give you more information as soon as you sign the secrecy oaths." Sirius explained dramatically.

"But why all this secrecy Sirius? I am sure Remus can be trusted to wear both hats. He does not necessarily have to resign from the order." Albus asked quietly, yet firmly.

"DO NOT EVER QUESTION REMUS' TRUSTWORTHINESS, PROFESSOR!" Sirius was angry at how easily the Headmaster was sowing seeds of discord amongst the order. It looked like Dumbledore wanted the order to consider Remus a traitor if he quit the order. "The problem is that of conflict of interest rather than that of trust. No person can be part of two organizations wherein one organization requires absolute secrecy, and the other organization requires the first organization's secrets be spilt to you. The reason for the secrecy is so that people like our esteemed minister, or manipulative old men like you do not interfere in this organization for your own agenda and cause it to deviate from its original goals. This organization is purely apolitical and no one will use this organization for their own political agenda. There shall be no more discussion on this." Though everyone was shocked at Sirius' outburst at the headmaster, everyone understood that headmaster's comments were uncalled for.

"Now, I have two more things on my agenda. Master Goblin Glofoot, how much money more do I have that I have not distributed or allocated?"

"A million and twelve thousand Galleons, Mr. Black." replied the Goblin.

"Just how rich are you?" Ron asked amazed. Sirius chuckled. "Not all rich people flaunt it like the Malfoys, Ron."

"I wish to allocate a million Galleons to the Sirius Orion Black Emergency Relief Fund. SOBER Fund! Get it? get it?" Sirius laughed at his lame joke. "Anyway, this fund is also an apolitical fund and that means, it shall be overseen by a board that I have already selected. They will fund business ventures, give out emergency loans, healthcare loans etc. based on need. The decisions on funding will rest solely on the board and no influence from any outside person or organization will be entertained. My Godson, Harry Potter has the sole right to overturn any decision by the board, to dissolve the board, nominate new members to the board or even dissolve the Fund. He will have the right to do whatever he wants with the money in case he does so."

"Since when did you become a philanthropist Sirius?" Moody chuckled. "Prison time at Azkaban, prison time at the Headquarters and death does a lot of things to you Moody" Sirius said sadly. "Amen to that!"

"Now the last item on the agenda. I leave all my properties, titles, shares and everything else left to my Godson, Harry James Potter."

"WAIT! That is not fair. Harry has hardly got any money from you!" Hermione exclaimed.

Sirius chuckled! "I know, that is why that is not all I am leaving to him. I wish to leave him this portrait and I have also signed his emancipation orders. Freedom to use magic and ability to consult my portrait, I believe, are more important to my Godson than some Galleons in a vault."


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15: Musings and Meetings**

++++++Harry's Musings++++++

It had been more than 2 weeks since the Will reading of Harry Potter's godfather, Sirius Black. Harry had watched the whole proceedings through Hermione's eyes. He loved the way Sirius had seen through headmaster's agenda regarding Moony and put him in his place. It was obvious that most people gathered there did not like the headmasters approach. Following the will reading, Harry had received the following letter from the headmaster.

_Dear Harry,_

_I thank you for listening to me and staying away from the will reading. As expected, there were a few relatives of Death Eaters there and your security could have been seriously compromised. Even the Minister of Magic was present and I am sure you would have been uncomfortable dodging the Minister's attempts to garner your political support. As a sign of goodwill and working towards building trust between us, I have arranged for you to be waived the restriction on Underage Magic Usage. That means that you can freely use magic, however, I request you to please not abuse this privilege._

_Your godfather has willed you his home and sum of 12,000 galleons to you which has been deposited into your vault. He has also sent you his portrait which unfortunately will take a few months for it to be activated. Usually when portraits wake up for the first time, they do not know how much magic they can safely use and it is a common mistake of the portrait to utilize too much magic, sending the portrait into a 'coma' of sorts from which they recuperate eventually._

_See you on September 1st._

_Albus Dumbledore  
Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

Harry had spent 2 days fuming at the Headmaster and it took all the four witches to knock some sense into him. Harry took a portkey to the 'Orion island' which was under the Black Familial Fidelius and located 200 kilometers east of the Shetland Islands, United Kingdom. The Goblin council had voted to build their underground vaults here and planned to move all the excess gold here and try Harry's idea on most of the low-deposit vaults. Harry helped them in their excavations by blasting the rocks into pieces which provided him a good avenue to vent his pent up frustration. After a few hours of such blasting, a very happy Goblin promised him a job at the blasting site whenever he needed it. A relaxed Harry took the cart to the surface and ensured that the hundred plus Acromantula that has moved to this island through the Elven portal were being cared for well and that the Acromantula were providing enough silk and venom.

From there, Harry had portkeyed to a Potter island called 'Paradise on Earth'. This island was located in the Bermuda Triangle and was under the Potter Familial Fidelius Charm. Harry was surprised to find that the Fidelius Charm was co-invented by a Potter and Black ancestor many centuries ago. While they had released the generic charm for use by the general public, they had not released the details of the 'Familial Fidelius Charm' which made the Lord of the family the secret keeper automatically. Harry had found the book that explained this charm in a book in the Potter Vault. The Goblins had informed him that he should find a similar book in the Black Library as soon as they recover all the books that were missing. Harry hoped that most of these missing books were in the Malfoy library that Draco Malfoy promised to return as part of his deal with Sirius Black.

Harry and the Elves had decided that this island 'Paradise on Earth' would be their manufacturing base for their Newspaper printing industry, the Potions company and the Phase-I of the Broomstick manufacturing plant. The centaurs had agreed to use their magic and within a week, had converted the center half the island into a thick tropical forest. Harry was in awe of the Centaurian magic that the Centaurs could use to manipulate seeds into growing into entire trees within a few days. That the island was rich in magic and there was plenty of underground water was a huge advantage. There was a clearing in the center of the forest, where the Elves and the centaurs helped trim the stems of the magical trees to make the skeleton of the broomsticks. These broomstick skeletons were to be transported to a Goblin facility in England for the Goblins to etch the runes, do the enchantments, wax and paint the brooms, package them and distribute them to stores or through 'rune-ports'.

The Elves had also built four buildings on one end of the 'Paradise on Earth' island. One building housed the printing presses of the newspaper, while the next heavily warded multi-storey building housed about 250 huge cauldrons that had been enchanted to automatically produce and bottle the potions as per the instructions provided. The large amount of ambient magic in the Bermuda islands powered these enchantments and Harry was happy that these processess will not dig into his magic.

On the other side of the forest on the island, the Elves built a Transformation Recovery Center (TRec Center) for the werewolves. This center mainly consisted of beds on which the werewolves may recover. Each werewolf was provided newer clothes and food after they recover from the transformation before they are portkeyed back to where they came from.

Harry was very happy with the progress of all his ventures. Pretty soon, his proverbial theater was set and the game would begin on the day after his 16th birthday.

++++++Dumbledore's Musings++++++

Albus Dumbledore was uneasy. He had a strong premonition that something was going to go very wrong soon. He was acclaimed by all as the 'leader of the light' and he took his responsibility seriously. The only way to stay ahead of the game was by making sure that he had all the information. He knew how to play his cards right for the greater good of the society. As soon as he came back from the will reading, he had sent a letter to young Harry and had received a polite reply. He really did not want Harry to know that he had been emancipated, lest he got any ideas. Harry was already showing signs of his rebellious streak and Albus believed that with teenagers, there was a thin line between rebelliousness and irresponsibility.

His first jolt came when the Prophet announced that it would be shutting down the publication in its current form and that a new newspaper called 'The High Inquisitor' would be published from the next day. The reporter talked about inconsistencies in almost every article in the newspaper for the past 10 years. The new management hoped to create a newspaper that would only report the truth and not political propaganda. They refered to the press as 'the fourth estate', a term borrowed from the muggles bring up speculations if the Ministry, Death Eaters and Order of the Phoenix are the other estates.

True enough, the next day, the owls delivered "The High Inquisitor" and they described the Dolores Umbridge role at Hogwarts during the previous academic year. Albus chuckled at the irony of the name of the newspaper exposing what Ms. Umbridge did in a role with the same name. The paper claimed that Ms. Umbridge had tortured the students during their detentions with a blood quill which was illegal as corporal punishment had been banned for many years from now. The reporter claimed to have collected pensieve and signed oaths by students to support their claims.

The Minister supported his colleague and threatened to stop the funding for the Daily Prophet if the newspaper would not stop this slander campaign. The chief editor of the newspaper, Mrs. Augusta Longbottom explained, "Perhaps the Minister is unaware that as The High Inquisitor, we are no longer being funded by his government. We are going to lodge a complaint against Ms. Umbridge with the DMLE on behalf of the students (who shall remain unnamed and we willing to testify under Veritaserum). The Truth Shall Set You Free."

Albus Dumbledore was weary of Mrs. Longbottom and the old witch seemed to loath him. Albus knew that she partially blamed Dumbledore for the condition of her son and daughter-in-law. _'This witch is creating a fourth front in the war! Maybe I should invite her to join the Order again.'_ Dumbledore could still not get rid of the feeling that the floor was going to be pulled from under his feet soon.

++++++The Weasley's Musings++++++

Arthur Weasley and his family (excluding Percy and the twins) had taken the international floo to Romania. Flooing was much more cheaper than buying an international portkey. In the lodge on the dragon reserve, he unshrunk the box that he had received from Sirius. He could not believe what he was seeing. In the box, were papers describing how the owners of Ogden's Firewhisky company had defrauded his grandfather, Patrick Weasley, of his rightful share of the company after his untimely death in an encounter fighting Grindelwald's forces. Arthur and his father had grown up not knowing the reason why they were so poor even though their family was very old. Arthur wondered how much Sirius had paid the Goblins to investigate the matter.

When Mrs. Weasley saw that they might expect up to 750,000 galleons as payment and a 24% share in the Firewhisky business, she promptly fainted. The Weasleys celebrated in their traditional style by having a raucous feast, followed by dancing to Celestina Warbeck. They decided to wait until the 30th before filing the papers that had already been prepared by the Goblins with the Wizengamot.

++++++Mad-eye Moody's Musings++++++

Moody loved his new eye and his new prosthetic leg. He had visited _Sushrutha's Cosmetic and Prosthetic Clinic'_ which the Patils ran in an expanded section of their garage at home. The Patils lived in the muggle world and practiced both the muggle and magical art of healing. Dr. Pushpa Patil was a graduate from a premier medical institute in India while Mr. Abhiram Patil was a healer trained at St. Mungos.

Moody approached them after ensuring that they had no links to any death eaters. Mrs. Patil berated the old auror for not keeping up with the newest developments in medical field. He should have gotten his wooden stump he called a leg changed at least a decade ago. She replaced his magic eye with a bi-corneal prosthetic eyeball so that Moody might be able to see both front and back without the eye having to spin like the way it used it. Also, as this would be an intra-ocular prosthetic, he may risk the chance of losing his nickname. The artificial eyeball came with all the standard charms including a permanent cleaning and vision correction charm in case he had wear eye-glasses. Dr. Patil also mentioned that she had a onetime permission to use the special charms that Mrs. Laura Lovegood had invented. Apparently Sirius Black had acquired this permission from the patent owner.

Moody was surprised to note that Sirius had bought the patent for the prosthetic creation charm from Mr. Tom Morvalo Riddle. Moody suspected that Voldemort had used that charm to create the silver arm for Wormtail. As Tom Riddle technically is dead, the Goblins had no problem selling the patent and depositing the money in Riddle's vault which had been inoperational for many years now. Moody chuckled at the irony. Transfiguration of outer layers of the titanium prosthetic made both legs almost identical. Dr. Patil then adjusted the weight of the prosthetic to match the weight of the natural leg.

Dr. Patil then applied a numbing charm to Moody's face and using a muggle procedure called cosmetic surgery, she removed the old battle scars and healed the cut tissue with magic. She gave him an aloe cream with Veela blood to apply for the next two days. Moody could not believe that he looked normal. _'Albus is going to freak out!'_ Moody chuckled.

++++++Remus' Musings++++++

Remus was in Seventh Heaven. Soon after the will reading, Remus gave Dumbledore his resignation from the Order of the Phoenix. He requested that he be able to keep the memories of the Order proceedings and his work till date and Albus accepted it provided he gave a magical oath never to disclose or betray the Order of the Phoenix upon pain of loss of his magic or even life. Remus readily agreed to it and gave him his oath.

When Remus was ushered into a conference room, he was surprised to see Luna Lovegood waiting for him. She refused to speak a word till he signed the secrecy oath which he did. She then described the four different methods they were adopting to counter-act Lycanthropy.

The first method was obviously, Wolfsbane potion. Luna handed his a necklace made of white gold which had a pendant in the shape of an hour glass. When Remus touched the pendant, the pendant expanded in size and Remus found that the outer surface of the pendant was a cylinder, but the inner surface was divided into two. There were two caps at either end of the tube. Luna explained that these tubes have an auto-fill charm for both the Wolfsbane potion and the Transformation pain reducing potion. She explained that the second potion was a new potion created by a company called Pleasant Potions Inc. and WOLF had the license to distribute it.

When a Lycanthrope wears this necklace, the pendant will grow warm an hour before transformation, indicating that it was time for the modified Wolfsbane potion and half an hour before transformation, the pendant will grow cold indicating that it is time for the pain potion. Fifteen minutes before the time of Lunar ascent, the pendants will change into a portkey and transport the Lycanthrope to a padded cell or a human-uninhabited forest. When the werewolf transforms back into a human, the pendant will port-key the wearer into his/her bedroom. The necklace comes with elongating and shrinking charms and once worn, cannot be removed unless the Lycanthrope is cured of Lycanthropy. If anyone tries to tamper with the necklace, it will auto-destruct itself.

When Remus heard about the pendant, his only question was "Lily's Magical Construct? Sirius got it to work?" Luna smiled and nodded. Luna then explained that these necklaces were to be distributed free as were the potions. The only condition is that they sign a secrecy oath which also bars them from taking either side in this war and not to deliberately infect other individuals.

The second method WOLF was exploring was portkeying the lycanthropes 15 minutes before the lunar ascent to a place west of them, so that they will never actually experience a lunar ascent. For example, Remus could get portkeyed to the Caribbean islands before full moon in England and then portkeyed to an island in South China Sea before the full moon in the Carribbean, and then portkeyed to an island on the Indian ocean before the full moon in Japan before finally being portkeyed back to England. Remus considered this approach and realized that this idea might have a solution. When enquired, he was informed that the portkeys would cost next to nothing.

The third method was a muggle method. Luna informed Remus that he would help their team collect samples of werewolf saliva, blood and urine. Remus blushed a Weasley red, when she informed Remus that her team had initially asked for werewolf semen too, but logistics dictate that it was not possible to collect such a sample. Remus' objections were put to rest, when Luna showed him a photograph of the cage they would use to collect the samples. Lune explained about their theory of Lycanthropy being a form of magical rabies like disease and if muggles can create a cure for rabies, they can create a cure for Lycanthropy too.

The last method was a mind arts approach. When Luna explained about Goblin Occlumency, Remus was very intrigued by being able to find the Arithmantic equivalent of various parts of a persons magical core. He readily agreed to volunteer as a test subject.

_'I wonder when Sirius had all this time to think about this so well.'_ Remus promised himself that he would do his best to help his werewolf brethern and wonder how the great Albus Dumbledore with all his wisdom, could not come up with such simple solutions as this 15 year old explained.

++++++Fleur's Musings++++++

Fleur and Gabrielle were ecstatic. They were so happy that they spent the whole night squealing! Last week they had attended the meeting at Gringotts and were asked a simple question after they had signed the secrecy oaths by a hooded figure. "Which allegiance did Fleur and Gabrielle hold in the highest esteem? Your family, your French Magical Citizenship, Beaubatons Academy and its faculty, your employer Gringotts, the Order of the Phoenix, French or British Ministry of Magic or the Veela Nation?"

Fleur and Gabrielle did not blink before they both answered, "The Veela Nation, of course. How did you know about the Order of the Phoenix? I thought it was a secret organization."

The hooded figure removed his hood to reveal that it was a very healthy and handsome Harry! Both girls squeeled and hugged and kissed him. Gabrielle blushed while doing so. Harry then asked a question that would change the lives of all Veela all over the world? "Fleur and Gabrielle, how would you like to learn to control the Veela charm? Not suppression, but total 100% control?"

Fleur had gasped before asking, "Is it even possible? Of course we would love to learn that."

Thus started the daily 3-hour sessions at Gringotts on Goblin Occlumency. By the fourth day, both Fleur and Gabrielle were able to create their meeting/control rooms. Both Fleur and Gabrielle found three different forms of magic in their core, the witches magic, the Veela Allure Charm, and the Veela transformation magic. Griphook taught them to build a ward with a porthole around the Veela Allure Charm and the Veela Transformation Magic. By the seventh day, with the help of the wards, both Fleur and Gabrielle were able to completely cut off the Veela charm. They could always go back and open the portholes to use the Veela charms. Griphook asked Gabrielle to modify her wards to be self-expanding so that she would not have a problem during her Veela maturation.

Harry then taught Fleur to create a mental Arithmantic probe to measure the Arithmantic equivalent of both the Veela charms. Harry promised to keep this a secret and any potions or products they create using this information will automatically give them a 20% profit. Both Fleur and Gabrielle were pleased to hear that. That was the least they could do to repay the gift they have been given.

On the final day, she had asked Harry, "Harry, do you know why Veela are persecuted?" When Harry shook his head, she explained, "The Veela have never been able to completely control their charm. Hence in Europe and other countries, most Veela are kidnapped and forced into sex-trade. They are seen as objects of desire. Only those Veela who are able to control their magic are able to have some semblance of a normal life. Do you know what the Veela Nation could do with this?"

"That is why we taught it to you Fleur! Will you be my representative to the Veela Nation? Ask them what they want to give me in return. Mind you, I am only looking for business cooperation and friendship. I am not in this to fleece them. Also, remember that I do not represent either the Ministry of Magic or the Death Eaters or the Order of the Phoenix, but rather as an apolitical entity. I will take anything that the Veela are ready to give, including voluntarily donated Veela blood, hair samples, anything. My business interests are very varied. Please make sure you get secrecy oaths signed before you disclose my role in this."

Fleur had gladly agreed and was ready to make a trip to the Veela Nation the very next day. "Aren't you glad that Sirius left you money to buy Formal robes? You sure will need some." Harry chuckled as Fleur gaped in wonder at how Harry knew about it.

++++++Snape's Musings++++++

"Pleasant Potions Inc." Severus Snape had snorted when he heard about the name of the potions company during a meeting of the Potions Masters Guild. A potion is never meant to be pleasant, otherwise the patient will get addicted to it! The next day Severus had paled when "The High Inquisitor" reported that the company had bid for contracts to supply healing potions at a price less than the total cost of the ingredients. How was that possible? What about compensation for the brewer's time? What about profit? How is this company going to stay afloat?

The St. Mungos board of directors had sent prominent researchers in potions samples of their various potions. Severus had received six boxes of potions to test and report back to St. Mungos. Each box had a lattice that housed 5 rows and twenty columns with 20 different potions and 5 units of each potion in 5 vials. He was impressed with the packing and quality of the crystal of the vial. Severus had also received a 6-inch muggle folder with papers explaining the Arithmantic equivalent of each potion. The papers for each potion was divided by a colored separator the same color as the next potion.

Severus now had 120 potions to test and he realized that all the potions had been modified to be better efficacious and better aroma and taste. The only exception was Skelegrow. When Severus had originally opened the box, he could not identify even a single potion without the use of the guide in the muggle folder. Severus then ordered random potions from random batches and was surprised to note that the Arithmantic equivalent was almost the same. He wondered as he wrote his report to St. Mungos. He wondered if his report would be the basis of lay-offs of brewing jobs. Is this company going to destroy "Potions" as an economically feasible employment option? He wondered who the owners of the company are and how they got so much done under the radar. And the big question was how they were able to maintain the same brewing standards?

Severus was surprised to read in The High Inquisitor that the company was part-owned by Madame Marchbanks, Mrs. Tonks and Mrs. Longbottom. Severus was even more surprised that most of the modifications were done by three students, Daphne Greengrass, Tracey Davis and Neville Longbottom. Severus eyes bugged out! NEVILLE LONGBOTTOM?? This has got to be a joke. The scowl on the potions masters face deepened. He wondered why he was not invited to join their research group.

++++++Neville's Musings++++++

Neville was on top of the world. He has been having the best summer of his life. First his gran had expressed that she was proud of him, next, he was getting a custom wand. He had received a lot of money from Sirius Black, though he felt guilty that he had received more than Harry had. He was doing an internship that he loved. Working with Tracey had its own perks. He loved it when she gave him attention and she seemed to be doing a lot of that. He had discovered a love for potions and had been instrumental in suggesting alternatives to ingredients using his Herbology knowledge.

He absolutely loved working in the green-universe. It is every Herbologists dream to be able to see his plants grow and flourish. And with Centaurian magic, it was a matter of a few days for a seed to grow into a plant. That was amazing. They could undo all the damage done to the environment by the muggles like deforestation etc. He was going to talk to the centaurs and request them to teach him their magic. He would only use it as instructed by the Centaurs. He wondered how he had become so proficient in Centaurian etiquette in such a short time, not realizing that he had swallowed that knowledge as a potion.

++++++Ron's Musings++++++

The two weeks vacation to Romania had been the best for Ron. He had inherited a lot of money from Sirius, but he was unhappy that the ferret had inherited more than him. He was ecstatic when his father mentioned that if all goes well, they might become rich. Now, no one will be able to call him a pauper.

He had spent a lot of time on the Dragon reserve with Ginny and a girl who too was visiting, who introduced herself as Sophie, a student from Beaubatons. Things had turned out interesting when thanks to Ginny's positive interference, Sophie and Ron found out that they fancied each other. From that day, they were inseparable, except when things went really badly on the last day.

Sophie confessed that her name was Sophie Moon and she was a Slytherin in Ron's year. The fact that every Weasley had already worked that fact out did not help Ron, when he lashed out at her for being a cunning, evil death eater bitch for deceiving him and playing with him. Sophie could only look at him wide-eyed in shock with tears rolling down her cheeks. She did not wait to hear the rest of Ron's tantrum and walked out.

Ron was now back in Britain and wondered if what he did was right! Sophie was a sweet little girl. But aren't all Slytherins inherently evil? Ginny and the rest of his family stopped talking to him after his outburst. They would only interact with him only as much as it was needed.

++++++Tonks' Musings++++++

Tonks loved the gift that Sirius has given her. Financial freedom. She could do whatever she wanted now. She could live 10 years at her current standard of living without having to work. But she decided that she would have a little fun. She took a sabbatical from the Auror corps and visited Gringotts to withdraw some money. Gringotts provided her the service and the Goblin who introduced himself as Griphook and suggested she take a vacation to France, Rome and Romania. But before that, the Goblin asked her to meet Dr. Patil about her balance problem.

Tonks almost freaked out when the Goblin mentioned that. It was a very closely guarded secret that only her mother, father and Sirius knew about. Tonks was born with 'club foot' on one of her legs. She had learnt to use her Metamorphomagic skills to mask that condition, but her balance suffered in spite of that. Dr. Patil with her knowledge of both muggle and magical medicine, conducted a series of surgeries on her and set her foot right. She then used a modified Skelegrow potion (thanks to Pleasant Potions, which still tasted as bad) to heal the surgical fractures in the bones. The 'Aloe-Veela' cream did wonders and removed all traces of the surgical procedure.

Tonks spent the next seven days learning balance. She felt as if she had entered into a beauty pageant, learning to walk gracefully with a couple of books on her head. She promised to keep up her balance exercises when she realized that she had not tripped once since the procedure. She decided to buy a house before she left on her vacation in the beginning of August. She sure wanted to meet up with Charlie Weasley, her ex-boyfriend, in Romania. He was the only boy, other than Harry, who had never asked her to change into someone famous and that counted for something in her books.

++++++Meeting of the Order of the Phoenix++++++

On the evening of July 30th, Albus Dumbledore assembled the Order of the Phoenix for a meeting at Number 12, Grimmauld place. "Welcome everyone. If we could all settle down, we will get the meeting started. Let us start with a couple of pleasant observations. Alastor, my friend, it is good to see you young and with two feet again."

Moody grinned maniacally. "It is great to be on two feet. When I walked into the Auror academy to test my skills, I was almost arrested for being an imposter. Nothing short of Veritaserum convinced them."

"And young Nymphadora..." Tonks glared at Dumbledore for using her first name. "Yes professor, I took care of my balance problem. Although, how you knew what problem I had and how you knew that I took care of it is still a surprise."

Albus laughed. "Everyone knew that you had a balancing problem, Nymphadora. How I know you got it corrected, well you haven't tripped even once today." Tonks scowled at him. "Anyway, now for the reports. Does anyone have any comments about The High Inquisitor?"

"Albus, I am surprised at the amount of correct information they have been printing. The account of Sirius Black was very accurate. The Inquisitor surely has been anti-Ministry till date. I hope it stays that way." Arthur commented. "Minerva, do you know anything about this blood-quill usage by Umbridge during detentions?" All eyes turned towards the Gryffindor head of the house.

"I am not aware of any such torture sessions. Surely my students would have come to me." Minerva said.

Poppy Pompfrey gasped and everyone looked at her in anticipation. "I remember seeing a scar on Mr. Potter's hand which looked like his writing. Hermione did ask me for a rather large jar of Essence of Murtlap the next day."

Tonks raised her hand and Dumbledore acknowledged her. "I was in Madam Bones office today and she had a rather large file on her desk, a few pensive memories and photographs. I found one that had fallen down and picked it up, it looked like someone's scrawly handwriting on skin. It said, 'I must not tell lies'."

Everyone looked at her in abject horror. "What the hell has been going on at that school?" Dedalius Diggle questioned.

"I will get to the bottom of this. If it is indeed it is Mr. Potter, I need to know why he did not feel fit to inform one of the professors. What about the next report?" Albus enquired.

"Arthur and I are happy to invite you all to our new home. Our house warming party is on the fourth of next month. And the twins have withdrawn their applications to join the Order." Mrs. Weasley announced. "House warming?"... "New home?"... "Well, it is a surprise," declared Mrs. Weasley stopping all speculations.

"Congratulations Molly and Arthur! And yes, the twins are too young." Dumbledore smiled. "Severus, what can you tell us about this new potions company?"

Severus took a long sigh. "The potions that this company is selling is better than the best quality I have ever seen. I have received detailed documentation of the Arithmantic equivalents of all the 120 modified healing potions that they are selling. The Arithmantic equations are flawless. The potion would do exactly what it is supposed to do and does it very effectively with very minimal side effect. In fact they have a modified dreamless sleep potion that is non addictive and gives you better results." Madam Pompfrey gasped.

"The color, consistency, aroma and taste of each of those modified potions is very different from the original. When sometimes two potions have the same color, one was modified by adding a magically inert, muggle coloring agent to make each potion distinct. Some potions are fruity flavored, while others taste of chocolate, mint, etc. All potions come in single-dose short vials of excellent quality. The concentration of the potions is deliberately altered to ensure that a single dose of a potion is always 10 ml. The healers are going to love these potions because they now do not need to remember the dosage of each drug, it is always one vial - 10 ml. The patients are going to love these potions compared to the traditional ones."

"Arithmancy in Potions?" Snape sneered at that... "Wow!" "Flavored potions!" "Brilliant!"

"Severus, do you know who is behind this company?"

"I found out that Madam Marchbanks, Mrs. Andromeda Tonks and Mrs. Longbottom are part owners of the company. You all know that they hold masteries in potions and Mrs. Longbottom holds a mastery in Herbology and muggle chemistry. But according to the notes I have received, almost all the modifications were due to the combined effort of Ms. Greengrass, Ms. Davis and Mr. Longbottom. While Greengrass and Davis are passable students in my class, I don't see Longbottom contributing anything other than disaster to a potion." Snape sneered.

"Severus, you have seen the boy's OWL potions score, yet you insist that the boy is worthless at your subject." McGonagall defended her Gryffindor."Do you remember what his Boggart was?" Snape sneered in answer.

"I will have you know that Ms. Greengrass and Ms. Davis are on top of my class along with Ms. Granger. While Ms. Granger is interested in Arithmancy of curses and spells, I have always seen the former two with a potions book in hand." Septima Vector, the Arithmancy teacher spoke in the defense of her students.

"To successfully modify 120 potions for the better would mean 120 Potions Masteries between them! Don't you think Severus?" Moody sniggered, while the others had a smile on their faces. Severus was about to go on a rant when Dumbledore cut him off.

"Severus, do you know who their brewers and suppliers are? What about their pricing policy?"

"There are two logical inconsistencies that I cannot explain. One, I have acquired many vials of the same potion, but different batches. In fact, I acquired 36 vials of an aquamarine colored, minty flavored fever reducing potion all from different batches. There was hardly any difference between the Arithmantic equivalents. The standard deviation allowed is about +/- 1 unit. These potions have a standard deviation of a thousandth of what is allowed. I don't know how their brewers can brew so precisely and at such quantities as to supply to a fully functional hospital."

"The second logical inconsistency is their pricing policy. The cost per unit they are quoting is less than the cost of the ingredients of the unmodified potion. Either their modifications have reduced the price drastically, or they are deliberately taking a loss, which does not make any sense. What about compensation for the such high quality brewer's time?"

"Nymphadora, do you have any answers to these questions?" Dumbledore asked.

"I am sorry professor, I do not. You can't expect me to nose around to find out answers to these questions. I cannot betray my mother's trust."

"I have had a very uneasy sensation about something bad to come. I am afraid, I must insist, Nymphadora."

"Then professor, I quit the Order of the Phoenix. I cannot work for someone who does not bother about ethics. And I cannot work for someone who does not remember a simple request from me to not call me by that name." Tonks stood up and walked out purposefully stunning everyone.

Albus looked a the crowd with weary eyes. "Does anybody else feel the need to be dramatic today?" Nobody replied. "Does anybody else have something to add?"

"We do!" Professor Flitwick replied. He motioned to Septima Vector to continue. This was the first Order meeting that Ms. Vector was attending, having just been inducted into the Order. "I was on Summer vacation when two of my brilliant students send me a proposal for extra credit. As the topic encroached on my area and also that of Professor Flitwick, I asked them to contact him too. Before I give you the gist of their proposal, I hope I can trust the integrity of everyone assembled here as this will be patentable work?" She looked at everybody around the table and they all nodded.

"Do you know why people shudder when they hear the name _'Lord Voldemort'_?" There were many gasps and screeches in the room. "Don't say that name, Woman!" Snape sneered.

"Hold your horses gentlemen! I have a point. My students petitioned the Department of experimental charms about charms that were invented and patented between 1935 and 1955. They found that _'Lord Voldemort'_...", she waited for the shudders and gasps and was rewarded, "was indeed a charm. It was invented by Tom Riddle. When weak-minded people hear the charm, it induces a combination of a Boggart and Dementor type response in them. Since most death eaters worst memory is a Cruciatus curse, they feel the pain." Everybody gaped at Professor Vector at this revelation.

"Now comes the interesting part!" Professor Vector clapped her hands loudly breaking everyone out of their reverie. "My students have come up with a way to use the same mechanism for another purpose. The plan to use the phrase _'Merlin'_ for the charm" She grinned widely. Immediately, there was utter chaos at the table. "How dare they!" "Now, we have to fear Merlin!"

"Gentlemen! calm down! Let me explain. These two students want the phrase _'Merlin'_ to reinforce the Magical World Secrecy Act, so that any muggle not knowing about our world will only be reinforced that magic does not exist every time they hear the phrase _'Merlin'_. And how many times do you use _'Merlin'_ as an exclamation? I think they wanted to use the phrase _'Jesus'_ too, but were afraid that they would face legal issues from religious fanatics later."

"Who are these brilliant students of yours?" Albus' eyes twinkled.

"Why of course it is Ms. Granger and Ms. Lovegood. They must have filed for a patent for the charm by now. We may probably read more about it in the High Inquisitor tomorrow." She winked. She looked at Moody and said, "They have invented a charm together, one more charm and they can apply for Charms Mastery." She smiled as Moody guffawed.

"That is brilliant. Any update from Gringotts?" Albus asked Bill.

"Fleur is not here today. The whole of last week, Fleur and Gabrielle were in some special training and it seems that the training was a success. They are now visiting the Veela Nation. I am not sure of the particulars as Veela are pretty tight lipped about Veela issues. "

"However, about Gringotts, there has been an unusual amount of activity lately. For anyone with less than 100,000 galleons in their vaults, the Goblins have made it compulsory to issue a Gringotts money pouch. The Goblins no longer encourage the customers to visit their vaults only to withdraw money. The Goblins claim that it improves security and frees personnel. The customers love it, as they do not have to interact with the Goblins, or waste time just for a withdrawal, or not take the cart ride. As some of you might know, the money bags are very useful. You can get the latest balance in your vault, a transaction summary, etc, by just wishing it. And for just 1 Galleon, instead of 50, it is dead useful."

"Any news about the werewolves?" Everybody shook their head. "About Mr. Potter?" Again everybody shook their head. "He seems to be very quiet these days." Mundungus replied.

"Minerva, do you have any news to report?" Dumbledore enquired.

"The Hogwarts letters to the first years have been sent out yesterday. The number of people who have responded are...", McGonagall referred to her self-updating parchment and paled. "194 till date."

"Did I hear you correctly Minerva? Did you say 194?" McGonagall just nodded in shock.

"And 189 of them are muggle-born! What is going on here?" McGonagall was getting worked up.

"Why don't you cross check the letters with the list that was sent out and let us know Minerva? We may have to call a board of Governors meeting day after tomorrow."

"Severus, any news about Tom?" Albus questioned.

"The Dark lord has not been happy since the fiasco at the Ministry of Magic. He was weakened when he tried to possess potter. Following that a few ago, he went into a magical exhaustion again. He has been weak and been on strengthening potions. He keeps muttering about wanting more followers, probably because many of his inner circle are now in Azkaban. So he might attempt to break them out. I also bring grave news about possible attacks tomorrow at noon on occasion of Potters birthday. These attacks are primarily to be on Potters friends, but I don't have any names."

"I was expecting that. Now that Tom has come out in the open, he wants to shock the world and tomorrow is as good as a day as any to make an announcement. We will try to keep an eye out and be ready to go and help tomorrow."

"Anybody else with any news?" Albus asked the crowd impatiently waiting to finish the meeting.

Hagrid raised his hand. Albus was surprised and asked him to speak. "The Acromantula have disappeared!" He declared.

"What do you mean Hagrid? How could so many Acromantulae have disappeared?" Albus asked. He has had too many unexpected revelations today.

"I don't know. I went to see how my old friend Aragog was doing. He is dying and not able to speak Human language. His bonded Mosag told me that all her children have left to find food." Everyone in the room paled. "We are talking about more than 400 hungry giant spiders, isn't it Hagrid?" Moody asked.

"Yes! And there are no signs of Unicorns. I met only a handful of Centaur warriors. Everyone else seems to have disappeared and I don't know where."

Albus looked at the chaos in the room and decided to call the meeting to a close. He hated it when he had no idea of what is happening out there. At least one thing consoled him. Mr. Potter was living in his Aunts house and not being an additional drain on the resources.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16: Birthday Surprises**

Harry woke up to giggles and before he could fully open his eyes, he was hit with a 'fresh-breath' charm that Hermione and Luna had invented. Harry remembered the conversation he had with the duo congratulating them on their achievement. When asked what other charm they had invented, Hermione demonstrated a rather painful 'epilo' charm which did the same job as 'muggle waxing'. _'Women and their vanity, going through so much pain to look pretty'_, Harry had grumbled to which the two inventors burst out laughing. "Harry, have you forgotten that there is a numbing charm?" Harry had just glared at them.

However, this morning, all thoughts got erased when he suddenly felt someone kiss his lips. Deepening the kiss was an automatic reflex. This kiss was broken three times, and Harry did not realize that all four of his wives had kissed him. To him it was all a single long kiss. When he opened his eyes, the four witches were eyeing each other in a weird way. "What?" Harry asked utterly confused.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY HARRY!!" The four witches chorused. Harry smiled and hugged each of them and thanked them. "That still does not explain the looks."

"When you kissing each of us, the other three felt it. It was Heaven!" Susan exclaimed and blushed.

Harry gaped at her. "What do you mean 'kissed each of us'? I thought it was one long kiss, broken three times for some air." All the witches broke out into laughter. "Imagine when Tracey and Daphne get together!" snickered Susan and Daphne blushed a Weasley red. "Merlin! Tell me I wont feel it too, that could be highly embarrassing for me walking around with a tent in my pants!" shouted Harry and the witches laughed louder.

"PRESENTS!" Susan and Hermione squealed as soon as they were done with their breakfast. They dragged Harry to the living room where there was a small pile of presents. Susan picked up a small box and gave it to Harry. "This is from Hermione."

Harry opened the box and found a gold watch very similar to the one his dad used to wear. His father's watch had stopped working after he had foolishly forgotten to take it off before he dived into the Black lake during the second task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Tears were threatening to overflow from his eyes. He hugged Hermione and thanked her. "Harry, you haven't seen everything yet. Hold on!" She pricked her finger with a needle and allowed a drop of her blood to fall on the dial. The watch glowed red for a second and then became normal. No evidence of any blood on the dial. As Harry looked closer, he found a small image of Hermione in the background of the dial. "Just think of me Harry and look at the dial. Do you see anything?"

Harry did as instructed and was surprised to find that the image of Hermione had become bigger obscuring the hands of the watch. Below the image was text that said, "Hermione Granger, Alive & Kicking, In The Den". "This is amazing, Hermione! But how did you manage it?" Harry enquired.

"I was looking at the patents for the Weasley Clock and did you know that it was the only clock made before the inventor was murdered by Grindelwald's forces? The inventor was a close friend of the Prewitt family and had presented the clock to them even before he opened his store. Mrs. Weasley received that clock as a wedding present from her family. I tracked that inventor's wife in the muggle world who had a squib son. The grandson is going to start first year this year at Hogwarts. I paid them 10,000 galleons for the patents and bought it. I see a lot of potential for its use in the future."

"That is awesome, Mia! What use would that be? I mean, those charms?" Harry enquired. While Hermione was answering Harry's questions, the other witches pricked their fingers and dropped a drop of their blood on the watch's dial.

"Harry, the charm is a very powerful and highly accurate blood-based tracking charm. Now imagine what you can do in with this in combination with a 'carto' charm." The Carto charm was the one that was primarily used to map Hogwarts on your Marauder's Map. Interestingly, even though technically Hogwarts was Unplottable to the external world, the Carto charm worked very well when applied within the Unplottable area. Harry had a proverbial light bulb glow in his head. "You can track anyone, anywhere. All we need is a drop of their blood."

"And whose blood does Riddle have flowing through his body?" Hermione asked with a grin on her face.

"Merlin! We can track him easily with my blood! Maybe we should steal a drop of blood from each of his death eaters and we can track everyone. I am going to modify one of the Potters wards that would steal a drop of blood every time someone crossed the ward. We could the ward set up in areas like Diagon Alley, Nocturn Alley and even the Ministry."

"That is an amazing idea Harry! You always take a simple idea and extrapolate it beautifully! I am going to create you a tracking mechanism for Riddle and all his Death Eaters." Hermione hugged him while the others grinned.

"Now, it is my turn!" Susan exclaimed excitedly. Harry laughed as he saw her jumping up and down and clapping her hands in excitement. She handed him a copy of The High Inquisitor except that the headlines and the articles were obscured.

"Harry, you know how I love researching laws? Well, you needed a method to get out of Dumbledore and Snape's influence and I have found a way. In fact what I found was so volatile that Augusta and I have already implemented it as we found the right opportunity yesterday." Susan pulled out her wand and cancelled the obscuration charm on the newspaper.

**HOGWARTS FINANCIAL SCAMS EXPOSED!!**

_In the true spirit of journalism, we report to you that our researchers at The High Inquisitor have unearthed a scam of Earth shattering proportions. Various forces have been at work at Hogwarts trying to fill their own pockets with gold at the expense of our students' education. _

_Our researchers have unearthed the bylaws of the Hogwarts Board of Governers that clearly states the following: 1) All governers must undergo an annual screening by the sorting hat to ensure that they stay true to cause of betterment of children's education, 2) The post of a Governer is an honorary post and the Governers must not profit financially by virtue of holding that post, 3) The financial budget and expenditure reports are to be made public at the beginning of every year._

_Interestingly, we have found that the annual screening process has been abandoned many years ago as an out-dated practice, violating the first clause. A staggering sum of 225,000 galleons out of the 640,400 galleons collected as tuition last year, has found its way into the vaults of four of our esteemed Governers. Mr. Malfoy profited 100,000 galleons; Mr. Ogden profited 75,000 galleons while Mr. Pierce and Mrs. Edgecombe profited 25,000 each. The financial budget and expenditure report was always available at Gringotts for anyone to peruse. All anyone had to do was ask for it._

_The remaining 415,400 collected last year as tuition, was spent on salaries of the staff including that of the potions master and the mediwitch (210,000 galleons), kitchens and washing room supplies (135,000 galleons), Hospital Expenses (33,000 galleons), Potions Supplies (18,000 galleons), Library Services (12,000 galleons), and Quidditch Equipment (2,000 galleons). Here is where we found the rest of the discrepancies. Though we do not have proof to support our extrapolations, one has to wonder as how these monies were spent. _

_1) What Quidditch equipment was bought last year that cost the students 2,000 galleons of their tuition? _

_2) My reporter ordered all the new books that were published last year from Flourish and Botts and it cost my reporter 600 galleons. We wonder what books/publications the Hogwarts Library has ordered that cost the students 20 times the amount my reporter could spend._

_3) Our Herbology greenhouses pride themselves in being self sufficient. They claim to supply all the ingredients required for potions in the infirmary. When the mediwitch's salary has been bracketed in the salaries, all potion supplies coming from the green houses, having a master brewer on payroll, where are the 33,000 galleons being spent?_

_4) All students are required to buy their own potions supplies, so what is the 18,000 galleons allocated for potions supplies really funding. Is it funding private research of the potions master? Or is it funding the healing potions that the potions master supplies the Dark Lord? We all know that at the end of the first war, Albus Dumbledore had vouched for the death eater, Severus Snape, as his spy and hence got him a get-out-of-Azkaban card._

_What is the headmaster going to do now? If these monies were distributed in a more realistic way, an increase in salaries could got us a better quality of teachers. Why are teachers/potential candidates not screened by the sorting hat every year to ensure that person is fit to teach. If this screening practice were to be implemented now, (and we highly recommend that it be done), it would mean that the headmaster has about a month to find at least a potions teacher, history teacher, divination teacher, muggle-studies teacher and a DADA teacher this year. Candidates who wish to apply for these jobs, may as well contact Hogwarts as soon as you can._

_Copies of proof of our claims have been submitted to the Head of the DMLE, Madam Amelia Bones. Minister Fudge might save some political face during this debacle by acting swiftly to curb this financial scams. Or is the Minister in on it too, for Mr. Malfoy was a close friend of the Minister till he got exposed as a death eater during the Department of Mysteries battle last month. New governors need to be chosen whose allegiance must lie with the students and not the light force, or the dark forces or even the Ministry. We all saw what the ministry did when it meddled with internal affairs at Hogwarts last year. Whatever you do Minister, make sure you call the press so that we can report the proceedings openly and truthfully._

_The Truth Shall Set You Free!_

"This is amazing Susan! I fully support that Augusta convinced you to publish this immediately! So how is this going to get me out of Dumbledore's grip?" Harry enquired.

"You haven't read it all Harry. Look on the other side!" Susan said with a little apprehension.

**DISCRIMINATION AT HOGWARTS BASED ON BLOOD STATUS!!**

_Yes! You read it right. It is our sad duty to inform you that a blatant discrimination of students based on blood status has been going on for many years now. It of course has to do with how much tuition a student pays to get his/her education there. Last year there were 405 students at Hogwarts. The 83 pureblood students paid 1,200 galleons each as tuition, the 268 half-blood students paid 1600 galleons each as tuition, where as the 52 muggleborn students paid 2,000 galleons each as tuition._

_What additional expenditure is being incurred by the halfblood and the muggleborn students that they have to be charged extra? Hogwarts does not even offer a wizarding etiquette or a wizarding world orientation class to the children who are raised as muggles. This discrimination in tuition is in direct violation of the Founders Laws of Governance which were adopted as the bylaws of the Board of Governors. This practice is also illegal as per some of our oldest Ministry laws. Somebody, get rid of those fools who call themselves Governors and get some sensible people on the board PLEASE!! Aaarrrrrghhhhh!!! (Yells in frustration)_

_Now for some even spicier news! Two students have been paying 4,000 galleons as tuition as part of a binding agreement between the students' parents and the headmaster of Hogwarts. These two children were to be trained as apprentices and not as students. Apprenticeships as some of you may recall, are more of a one-on-one training with a qualified master in the field. According to Hogwarts bylaws, apprentices are not sorted into houses. They are considered to belong to Hogwarts and not to a specific house. _

_So did these two children become apprentices despite a binding contract and paying the higher tuition? 'No!' Why not? 'Only the Headmaster can answer that'. Our guess is that he would use his mysterious comment, 'it was for the greater good!' Would someone please explain to me as to how not being trained is for their greater good? Who are these supposed apprentices? Neville Longbottom and Harry Potter! These both could easily sue the headmaster for breach of contract and/or request a transfer to another magical school. Merlin know, they both have suffered enough._

_The Truth Shall Set You Free!_

Harry was surprised! "What does this... this mean?" He stammered.

"Don't you get it Harry?" Hermione the ever enthusiastic one explained. "As an apprentice, you are mainly answerable only to your Mentor(s). You need not answer to the head of the house (as you wont be in any house), or the deputy headmistress or the headmaster. You are also exempt from curfew timings, coming in or going out of Hogwarts and other similar nussaince rules. Whatever you decide with your Mentor will be the law in regards to your education. You also decide what classes you want to take and they cannot dictate anything to you. You can also hire private tutors for subjects that are not taught at Hogwarts. If your mentor is not cooperative, then you can always switch to another, as soon as you find one willing to accept the mantle. You can also work with more than one mentor. Apprenticeships usually pave the way towards acquiring your mastery in a chosen field."

"So how does one get a mastery?" Harry enquired. He had never bothered to find any of this information before.

"A Mastery in Charms usually entails requiring you to have a basic knowledge of Post-NEWT charms, understanding Arithmancy behind spell creation and spell modification. You attain your mastery when you create one successful spell or modify an existing spell. A mastery in potions is similar except you create or modify an existing potion." Hermione explained.

"That means you and Luna can get 2 masteries in Charms and Daphne can get over 120 masteries in Potions?" Harry's eyes goggled. Daphne and Luna laughed at Harry's facial expressions. "You get only one mastery per subject Harry! It doesnt matter how much work you do!" Hermione replied exasperatedly.

"This sounds like a good idea. I can at least break their controls over me. Any ideas about getting Voldemort to stop attacking me, at least temporarily." Each took a moment to do a little brain storming of their own.

Daphne started talking hesitantly at first, but with more conviction as she expressed her idea into words. "Umm.. You know what Harry? You could play on Tom's ego and tell him that there is nothing great in attacking an underage, unqualified wizard who is a mere student. Maybe you could threaten to or even publish this conversation in the newspapers. You could maybe swear an oath on your wand never to attack him unless it is in defense of your life or that of your friends. This oath can be in effect until you turn 17 or until the day you qualify as a wizard."

"WOW! It might work!" Harry agreed. "What do you all say?"

"I don't know Harry! That would mean splitting from Dumbledore publicly," Hermione disagreed.

"You have the press on your side, so it might work", Luna encouraged.

"If you word the oath right, it might work to your advantage. You don't have to define who your friends are." Susan winked.

"Excellent! Let's work on that and hash a plan out!" Harry was excited.

"Now it is time for my present!" Daphne declared with a naughty gleam in her eyes. "You need to meet me in your meeting room, Harry. The rest of you, stay put here! I may need your help here." She said with a naughty smile.

Harry and Daphne went into the meditative trance and soon they were in Harry's meeting room. Daphne immediately jumped on him and snogged him senseless. "Was that my present?" Harry enquired naughtily.

"Of course not!" Daphne huffed. "Now, come over here to this orangish-white panel here." Harry walked up to where Daphne was now standing. "Place your hand on this panel and concentrate on drawing this magic into yourself. Wait! I will have to leave before you do that. Just will yourself to be consumed by the magic in this window."

After Daphne left, Harry took a deep breadth and willed himself to be washed over the magic in the window. Harry felt a little disorientation and pain as the magic started washing over him. He did not want to stop till the whole thing is done. After a minute of this pain, it subsided. Harry opened his eyes and felt as if the room and the witches had become giants. He wanted to point that out and realized that he now had wings. He tried to speak and it came out as trill. He looked at the witches and they all had their jaws hanging in awe.

_I guess I have become a bird! Is that my Animagus form?_ He wondered. He jumped and flew onto Daphne and trilled. He bobbed her head with his beak. She shook herself off the shock and conjured a mirror. The witches burst out laughing as the bird-Harry fell backwards in surprise. Harry was a Phoenix Animagus. This was the best birthday present ever.

Harry concentrated on becoming a human again and soon he transformed back into his usual self. "That was amazing! Thank you! Thank you!" He hugged Daphne and kissed her. I knew I was forgetting exploring those panels. He decided to bring all the girls out of the shock by hugging them.

"We all thought you would be some soft of a bird. The Arithmantic values of your magic said so. But Harry! One can't become a magical Animagus. The Definitive Animagus Guide says so." Hermione protested.

"Apparently the author is wrong! I am a contradiction to that rule." Harry grinned. "Do you think that you all can imbibe my Phoenix Animagus magic and become phoenixes too? Can I imbibe your Animagus magics and become the animals you all become?" Harry asked with a wide smile on his face.

Hermione thought a little and said, "Theoretically, it is possible. But I think we should wait till we develop our own Animagus forms first. You know what? This further proves our Werewolves are rabid wolf Animagi and Veela are bird Animagi theories. We should ask Fleur to try and change into her bird form without the temper component. I bet she will be able to do that."

"Finally, my present!" Luna exclaimed. "Your third familiar!" Luna handed him a small egg. You need to hold it in your hand for at least 15 minutes everyday. As soon as Harry touched the egg, he knew what the egg was by the warmth he felt in his magic. His Animagus form readily approved the egg. He looked at Luna in awe and said, "Where did you get this? This is a phoenix egg."

"A phoenix visited me and gave me the egg to pass it on to you. This egg will hatch and become a phoenix very similar to your Animagus form. It will be mostly a white phoenix with an orange border. It is said that Fawkes was given to Merlin as an egg. You should talk to Fawkes. It would be rather interesting to hear about all the history he has lived through."

There were other presents in the pile. Ron had sent him a cannon's T-shirt and a book on seeker tactics. Hagrid had sent him a comb given to him by the Merpeople. "You do know that it means an invitation to the Black Lake, don't you?" Luna enquired. Harry nodded. Remus sent him his father's wand holster that had been charmed by his mother. Harry immediately slipped the holster onto this right forearm and inserted his wand into it. The witches gasped as the wand holster and the wand disappeared into nothingness. Harry smiled and imagined the wand in his hand and suddenly the wand was in his right hand. "This is awesome!"

There were other presents from other order members which included a lot of sweets and books and a cake from Mrs. Weasley. One of the packets of sweets and the cake had a faint aura around them and Harry was immediate suspicious and was even more convinced when he saw that the sweets were from Ginny. When he voiced his concerns, Hermione immediately cast all known poison/potion detection spells she knew and they all came out negative. Daphne took a sample of each for analysis in her potions lab.

The last present was a shrunken box and a letter attached to it. Harry opened the letter and was surprised by what he saw.

_Dear Harry Potter,_

_You know me as the brother of your friend who asked him to stay away from you. Don't be too surprised. I worked very hard to have a convincing cover story and I trust you to not blow it. I write to you today as my real boss asked me to get in touch with you and be your liaison for our department. If you have not already guessed, your mother was my boss' favorite employee. She had asked us to send you this box on your 16th birthday. She said that you would know how to open it._

_Happy Birthday._

_Stickler_

_PS: My boss would like to meet you before Sept 1st_

"Percy is an unspeakable!" Harry said in shock. "He had me fooled!" He handed the letter to Hermione who read the letter with her jaw dropped. "I would always sense his aura was a little off while he was at home. It was as if he was struggling with himself!" Luna declared in her dreamy voice. "Let us try opening this box!" Harry declared.

They spent the next 20 minutes trying all kinds of expanding charms and none of them worked. Harry even tried to use Parseltongue spells and when that failed, dropped a drop of blood on the box with no results. "Maybe it is password activated!" Hermione commented.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good!" Harry said with conviction and tapped it with his wand. When nothing happened, his shoulders slumped. "Harry, this is your mother's box and not your fathers!" Hermione commented.

In an act of inspiration, Harry intoned, "I solemnly swear that I am up to good!" and tapped the box with his wand. The box emitted a green glow and expanded to the size of a standard trunk but it was deeper inside. It was filled with books that looked like his mother's journals. There were also innumerable muggle files filled with papers and a few muggle fairy-tale graphic novels. Harry picked up a journal at random and started reading while Hermione and Luna picked up the files. The next 15 minutes was spent in silence.

"So That's how they got together! Why does no one tell me these things?" Harry suddenly exclaimed. Seeing the puzzled expression on the witches faces, Harry explained, "Apparently during the first month of their seventh year, Pettigrew came up with this brilliant idea to get mom and dad together. He claimed that he was sick of my dad mooning over my mom and my mom not reciprocating his feelings. So he took a leaf out of Molly Prewitt's life. The story has it that her twin brothers dosed her and Arthur Weasley with a mild love potion and even after the few weeks they were under the influence of the potion, they stayed together."

"So Peter with the consent of Sirius and reluctant consent of Remus dosed my mom with the love potion. Soon my mom was fawning all over my dad and he was suspicious of the circumstances. Instead of taking advantage of her, he took her to the hospital wing where she was admitted for a week and given potions to flush the love potion out of her. During that week, my dad took care of her. Apparently that is when she saw dad for who he is and not the arrogant prankster facade that he always wore. That was apparently the start of the falling out between Peter and the Marauders."

"No one really talks about my mom, you know! The only reference of her I heard in all these years was, 'She was a brilliant witch' and 'You have your mom's eyes'. Maybe I will get to know her better." Harry said in a dreamy expression reminiscent of Luna. "What did you guys find?"

"Harry! Your mom was really brilliant!" Luna said proudly. Harry thought that it was strange that he had never seen that expression on Luna's face. "These are your mom's notes on all the work she did at the Department of Mysteries!" Hermione exclaimed excitedly. "She worked on so many things! spell modification, spell creation, something about love and a locked room, the veil and the Dementors, the Avada Kedavra curse and body-soul dissociation, the Cruciatus curse and the mind-body dissociation. She is an absolute genius!"

"Do you think the protection she gave me is an offshoot of her research?" Harry enquired hesitantly. Before he could get a reply, Winky popped in and said, "Quick, Harry Potter Sir. Miss Tonksy is at the door!"

"Hello Tonks! How are you doing today?" Harry asked brightly. Tonks was taken aback by Harry's attitude. She had expected to see a sullen and depressed boy. Before she could answer, Harry asked, "That is provided you are Tonks! How do I know that you are the real you?" She observed that Harrys right hand was hovering around his waist area almost as if he was holding an invisible wand, though she did not find one.

She morphed herself to give herself a pigs snout. "That answer your question, little bro?"

"Who are you calling little?" Harry looked affronted, but he pulled her into a hug which surprised Tonks. He pulled her inside the house and they walked to his room in silence. As soon as they were inside, a wand suddenly appeared in Harry's hand and he cast a locking, silencing charm and the _muffliato_ spell. Tonks was surprised at how fast he drew his wand. Though she was not surprised that he was doing magic as he had been emancipated, she sure was surprised that he knew about the _muffliato_ spell.

"I quit the order yesterday! I have applied for a sabbatical from the Auror corps." She said as a matter of fact. "I am here to give you your birthday present", she said more brightly. "So how are you doing?"

"As good as can be expected I suppose. I miss Sirius, but have accepted that he is in a better place. Heaven must be cringing due to the presence of a genius and two pranksters." Harry laughed. "I did read today's newspaper and it gave me an idea to get out of the control of manipulative old men and greasy haired mind rapists. I am going to formally request the new board for an apprenticeship that was due to me." Harry declared.

"If you need any help, let me know. Sirius has left me some serious money and I plan to buy a house this week. If you wish to come and stay with me, you are welcome to do so. After all, we are cousins. Did you know that your grandmother and my grandfather were siblings?" Harry simply shook his head in amazement.

"I was planning on a long vacation next week and hopefully visit Charlie. You are welcome to join me. It will be fun and I bet you have not been on a vacation before." Harry smiled and asked "Why?"

"Because I love you Kiddo! I have seen you during your first and second years as a student and you looked so lost. I had my own personal issues and I did not approach you. Right now you are the only family I have left other than my parents." Tears started flowing freely from her eyes and Harry pulled her into a hug and patted her back to console her. "Thank you Nymmie!" Harry used a nickname based on her dreaded first name and was rightfully rewarded with a fist on his shoulder.

"Ouch! But then Tonksy, I asked 'Why you wanted to visit Charlie'. I already knew that you loved me!" Harry said cheekily. "Brat!" She said before she composed herself and pulled out of the hug.

"I have only had two wishes in my life. One was to meet another metamorphomagus in my life and another to fall in love. With my condition, it is impossible to find love. You never know if he loves me for my ability to change into his fantasy or the real me?" Tonks confessed.

"'With my condition, Tonksy?' Aren't you channeling a bit too much of Moony?" Harry laughed.

"Cheeky brat! Stop calling me nicknames!" Tonks mock glared at him which caused Harry to laugh harder and Tonks joined in the laughter.

Harry calmed down and said, "you know Tonks, we are similar in that way. I always wonder if the girl is interested in me because I am the boy-who-lived or because of the real me."

"You are right Harry! I never thought of it that way. As to 'Why Charlie?' There have only been two people who have never asked me to change into their dream girl. One is Charlie and another is you!" Tonks confessed.

"You know what Nimo? I am going to change that. I am going to take myself of that short list by asking you to change into another girl. I can't think of you like that! Ewww..." Harry made faces and laughed while Tonks glared at him. "Don't call me that! I am not a fish!" Then she decided to change her tactics and asked him flirtily, "So, who do you want me to change into?"

She expected Harry to blush, but Harry asked her with a smug face. "Dora, could I please have the honor of seeing the real you?"

Tonks was so shocked at the request that she complied without any complaints. "You are the first person to ask me that. Thank you little bro!" She hugged him hard and gave him a kiss on his cheek. "You are beautiful! You know that? Why are you never in this avtar?" Harry looked at her shocked. Tonks had changed from her punk look to a beautiful aristrocratic lady.

"Thank you Harry! It means a lot to me. Until last week, I was ashamed of my original form as I was born with a club foot. Thanks to Sirius and Dr. Patil, I took care of that and have been doing balance exercises." Tonks confessed. "Now, I don't trip over my legs!" Tonks grinned. "Anyway, now it is time for your birthday present." She pulled out a small box, expanded it and handed it over to him.

Harry opened the box to see a vial with 20 ml of a clear yellow colored liquid. "It is one of my mom's inventions. It is a potion that counters the effect of prolonged malnutrition. She does not plan to publish this as one of the ingredients of this potion is the elixir of life." Tonks explained.

"Elixir of Life? But the Philosopher's stone has been destroyed, hasn't it?" Harry asked confused.

"What are you talking about? And how do you know about Philosophers stone and Elixir of life?"

Harry rolled his eyes and explained about his adventures during his first year. "Dumbledore told me that the stone has been destroyed and the Flammels will die soon. Or at least I assumed that they are dead."

"Of course they are alive and will live longer than all of us. Do you think that Uncle Nick has only created one stone? Agreed the things he had to are barbaric and I don't think he will ever do those things again to create another stone."

"What things?" Harry was curious now.

Tonks sighed. "I guess you are mature enough to understand. The process requires blood collected from 7 virgins and a dead human fetus." Tonks shuddered.

Harry was too shocked and did not realize that he was vocalizing his thoughts. "Did he rape those virgins?"

"Heavens No! Uncle Nick would never do that. He contacted several nuns in an abbey and they voluntarily donated their blood. I don't know the details about how they collected the blood though. They convinced the nuns that they were creating this stone for the Elixir so that they could cure many patients. They also collected a still-born human fetus from a muggle hospital. Aunt Nelle cannot have children because she sacrificed that ability to create the stone. They really don't want any riches or fame. That is why they live in seclusion."

Tonks then snapped out of the funk and clapped her hands. "Anyway! please take this before you go to bed. You may feel some pain as the cells will try to heal themselves. You should be a changed man tomorrow morning. I may drop in later to take you clothes shopping, but it depends on if I can find a good home soon."

Harry laughed and thanked Tonks. "Dora, thank you and your mother for this wonderful gift. I cannot let you go empty handed. So how about I make one of your wishes true? But I will need a witches oath to never reveal my secrets to anyone without my permission."

Tonks whipped out her wand and gave him a witches oath and also a loyalty oath. Harry smiled at her and morphed into her original beautiful body. Tonks was so shocked that she fainted. Harry called Winky and asked her to transport Tonks into a guest bedroom in the Den and Harry followed them.

As soon as Harry entered the Den, he heard violent cursing from the potions lab. It took him a minute to realize that the person cursing was Daphne. He had never heard the prim and proper girl speak such profanities. Harry thought that it was amusing and laughed out loud. Daphne gave him a cold stare that had the same temperature effect as the Dementors.

"If you know what those harlots did, you wouldn't be laughing!" Daphne declared and Harry gulped at being at the receiving end of this girl's temper. "The mother and daughter sent you a combination of a mild compulsion and love potion." Harry raised an eyebrow at the revelation. "Actually it was a very clever trick. They put one component in the cake and another in the sweets. Separately they are undetectable by screening charms. But when ingested together within a few hours, the potion forms in the blood and kicks in. I am so glad that Luna's charms on your contact lenses worked even with the potion components. I think it is time for all of us to use the contacts Luna gave us every day."

Harry nodded and said, "Why am I not surprised at the Weasleys? Hermione thinks that a similar trick was tried on her. Thank Merlin that she has a strong will and could resist the potion. You know what? This calls for a retaliation. I am going to prank them." Harry grinned maliciously as he took a piece of parchment and a pen.

_Hi Ron,_

_I hope you are having fun in Romania. Thank you for your presents. I leafed through the book and it is really cool. I appreciate the T-shirt even though I am not really a Cannons fan. The team is fortunate to have found such a die hard fan._

_Please thank your mom for the wonderful cake. It was delicious and it was the first time I cut a cake in front of my aunt and cousin. Dudley was so impressed that he wolfed down all the sweets that Ginny had sent me. I guess he must have been sugar deprived for a long time. Please do thank Ginny on my behalf. I think my cousin is coming around the whole magic issue. He kept asking me about magic, Dumbledore and umm... your family. _

_The muggles have been treating me fairly well and I am glad to have stayed back this summer. I hope that the wards will be at its strongest to keep out the Death eaters until next summer. How was your vacation? Did you have fun?_

_Harry Potter_

"How is that?" Harry grinned. "Pure genius!" Hermione who read the letter cackled an evil laugh. "Suits them right for what they did to us both. My only question is, Do we trust Ron? I am glad you hinted that Ron needs to think of the other person while choosing a present, but he is too thick headed to get the idea."

"On a different note, Dora has invited me for a vacation. I think we should all go. What do you all say?" Harry asked. All four witches squealed and nodded their heads. "Any suggestions as to where we go?"

"Paris", "Rome", "China", "Brazil", "India", "Disneyland, Florida"

Harry sighed. "The only city I have visited is London. I really wish we could take a whole year off and travel. I have never been to the water and we live on an island. Hermione, how long can we realistically take off? What else do we need to accomplish?"

"We can afford to take 3-4 days off." She whipped out her wand and conjured a parchment and a muggle pen. The pen then automatically started writing out a list. "Here is the list of things we need to do." Everyone looked at her in awe and gave her a standing ovation. "How did you do that? I mean, how did the pen write the list for you?"

Hermione had a smug expression on her face. "Well, I conjured the parchment and pen the normal way. Then I did a wandless and wordless spell that wrote down whatever I was thinking in my mind. It only works if you concentrate real hard or if you are an accomplished occlumens. As I already had a list of to-do things, all I had to tell the pen was to copy my mental list on the conjured parchment. Simple!"

"You know what this means Hermione? We write our essays mentally and use this spell to write it on paper. Do you know how much time it will save us?" Harry asked excitedly. "It is even better than a dicta-quill. You don't have to speak it out."

Harry scanned through the huge list. "I knew we had a lot of things to do, but never realized there were so many. But I still think we can take 3-4 days off. How about we mix business with pleasure and visit India? I need to create a portal for the centaurs in the forest there."

"I have never been so far east! I wonder if everyone in India speaks Sanskrit." Hermione commented.

"We could invite Padma and Parvati Patil with us. They could be our guides." Luna said dreamily.

"Well, that gives you an opportunity to apologize for the fiasco during the Yule ball, Harry", Daphne said coldly daring him to disagree with her. Harry gulped and nodded.

"I don't care who is coming! I want to go to a beach and get a muggle tan! I bet a couple of days in the tropical sun should be enough for a good tan. I want to have beautiful skin like the Patil twins." Susan giggled. "I wish the muggle bikinis didn't leave tan lines."

"You want to walk around a muggle beach almost naked?" Having primarily lived a sheltered, Victorian life in the wizarding world, Daphne had a difficult time understanding muggle culture and their fascination with tanning. Susan grinned and nodded. "It will be fun! You will see!"

"I guess I can invite them for lunch. How about we meet at this new muggle restaurant that my mom told me about. It is an Italian restaurant called 'The starry night'." Hermione the organizer asked. Harry nodded. "We could probably fund a boutique on Magic Alley if Lavender and Parvati are interested. They should be able to start their business by the 15th of August and we are not expecting the new muggleborn crowd to come in before that date anyway. Also, it would help us get rid of some of the Acromantula silk."

Before anyone could reply, they heard a voice. "Harry! What is going on here? Where am I?"

"Hi Dora! Don't freak out. We need to tell you a lot of things. It is a long story." Tonks eyed the four witches and made herself comfortable in the couch. "You better! Its a good thing that I like long stories." With that, Harry explained all the salient things in his past.

"WOW! Four wives huh? I pity you!" Tonks sniggered. "At last! Someone who understands what I have to put up with! Thank you Dora." Harry jumped into the seat next to her, hugged her and kissed her forehead. Tonks pushed him away and said, "Gerroff! Whoever said I don't support your wives little bro?" Tonks winked at the witches and introduced herself to them. After a few hours of Harry-teasing, the witches all settled down for lunch.

"Harry, what will be my role? What do you want me to do?" Tonks asked seriously. "I thought I was going to make a difference when I joined the Order, but I realized what a mistake it was. I see that you are on the right track and you need more people to help you manage everything. When you go to Hogwarts, someone else will have to take care of what needs to be done. So I suggest that you actively recruit your team. Think of it like a mission or a series of them with specific goals. You can't do things as the tide goes." Harry realized that Tonks must have done a 'strategic thinking' course during her Auror training.

"Dora, could you teach either Defense or Transfiguration at Hogwarts? I know that we will need more teachers this year onwards. I am hoping that you will convince Charlie to come and teach too. I could help arrange a multi-trip portkey to Romania for him, if he wishes to spend 2-3 days of a week there."

Tonks brightened on hearing the idea. "That's a lovely idea Harry. Do you mind if I invite my friend Aurora along on our trip to India? She would love to visit there. Every time she talks about India, she talks about the number zero."

Hermione perked up on hearing that. "Is she interested in Arithmancy? You do know that the concept of zero was invented by ancient Indians?"

Tonks laughed. "Of course she loves Arithmancy, Hermione! You know her as Ms. Septima Aurora Vector. Did you know that she wears glamours so she looks older? She is actually my classmate." Tonks winked.

"As long as she signs a secrecy oath, I am fine with her coming along." Harry said.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17: Noteworthy News**

**MASSIVE CHANGES AT HOGWARTS!**

_In a surprise early morning raid, the DMLE have arrested Mr. Ogden, Mr. Pierce and Mrs. Edgecombe, three of the four Hogwarts Board members named in our scoop yesterday, on charges of fraud and interference with children's education. Mr. Malfoy was already in custody for his role as a death eater in what is now popularly known as the 'Battle of the Ministry of Magic' in which the newly reincarnated Dark Lord made an appearance. Thus four out of the 8 board members of Hogwarts are under Auror custody._

_The rest of the Hogwarts board members met yesterday along with the Ministry of Magic to elect new members and enact new policies. The sorting hat was used to screen the existing members and the potential candidates. The new board members chosen were Ms. Rosemerta Stranton (Owner, The Three Broomsticks), Mr. Timothy Altwater (Ministry of Magic), Mr. Amos Diggory (Ministry of Magic) and Ms. Petunia Crouch Evans (President, POMS - see article below). The board members passed new regulations on financial accountability and improvement of teaching standards. The board has abolished the earlier tuition strategies and has proposed a 1,600 galleons/year tuition for all students irrespective of their blood status. Ms. Petunia Crouch Evans stated that scholarships and educational loans were available at Gringotts for financially challenged students._

_All the staff at Hogwarts including the Headmaster and the caretaker were subjected to the sorting hat screening test. Professor Snape (Potions), Professor Babbage (Muggle Studies), Professor Binns (History of Magic) and Professor Trelawney (Divination) were asked to hand in their resignation from their teaching posts. Professor Hagrid, Madam Hooch, Madam Pince, Mr. Filch and Madam Pompfrey were placed on probation based on their attitude towards either their subject or students. The board then ratified Ms. Evans proposal to implement 'evaluation of the teachers by students' every year and add the students' comments to the teachers permanent record. So the teachers, better watch out!_

_It is the Headmasters responsibility now to find competent teachers to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts, Potions, History of Magic, Muggle Studies and Divination. Interested candidates may contact Hogwarts. A wise man once said, "It is our choice to either do the right thing or do what is easy." We at the High Inquisitor are pleased with the Hogwarts Board for doing the right thing for the betterment of our children's education._

_The Truth Shall Set You Free!_

**LARGEST HOGWARTS' FIRST YEAR CLASS EVER!**

_In a surprising announcement, Professor McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts announced that the incoming Hogwarts' first year class has had the highest registration rate ever this year. Hogwarts sent out 243 letters to students and has received 201 positive responses till now and there is still another week left before registration deadline. When asked for an explanation of this statistical anomaly, Professor McGonagall explained, "Hogwarts usually sends out around 250 letters every year, of which about 200 are to children who are not aware of the magical world. Most do not respond to the letter we send out. Due to shortage of manpower, we are able to approach only a handful of these children and convince them to come to Hogwarts. This year, we have received a positive reply from more than 95% of those children who were not aware of our world. I have no explanation for it." _

_Ms. Petunia Crouch Evans, the newly elected Hogwarts board member, claimed that she could explain this anomaly. "Did you ever wonder what happens to those 200 children who don't respond to the Hogwarts invitation?" She asked and gave the answer herself. "They are obliviated by our Ministry and their magic bound permanently." Our reporter could only listen to her in horror about someone's magic being bound permanently. 'Does our Ministry really do that?', she wondered. "If you don't believe me, just look at the publicly available obliviation records. The maximum activity is always between the first of September and the fifteenth," Ms. Evans explained. _

_"You might argue in favor of the Ministry's actions and guess what? I support it! I don't like loose cannons running around in the muggle world with knowledge of the magical world", Ms. Evans continued. "However, the important question I ask is, 'What have you told the eleven-year-olds and their parents about magic for them to make an informed decision regarding their children's magical education?' Do you remember the letter you received when you were eleven? All it says is, 'You are given admission at Hogwarts, owl us if you accept' in a flowery language. Now imagine yourself as a muggleborn who does not believe in existence of Magic, has never heard of Hogwarts, does not know what owl post is, and receives such a letter. Would you think that this letter is genuine or a prank being played by one of your friends? Will you respond to it or will you toss it in the garbage bin? Suppose you do wish to respond to the letter, wouldn't you wonder as to just what the heck is owl-post?"_

_"Many parents who were concerned about the gross inadequacies in the Hogwarts first-year recruitment process, got together and formed an association called the 'Parents Of Muggleborn Students [POMS]' and I was elected as the President. We largely consist of moms, dads and guardians who volunteer their time to fill this obvious gap. Our primary goal is to increase the recruitment of first years. There are many advantages to this: increase in the declining population of the Wizarding world, increased cash flow into the Wizarding economy, better teaching standards at Hogwarts, etc."_

_"POMS accessed the list of students who were to be sent the invitations, contacted them and gave them a one week orientation of Magic and the Wizarding world. There were obliviators readily available on site in case the parents or the students refused to accept the invitation. Though most of the parents were not very impressed with how backward the Wizarding world is, they finally consented that it would be in their children's best interest to allow them to go to Hogwarts. __Read about muggleborns and their parents' desires to maintain secrecy of the Wizarding world in the next article__"_

_"Why POMS? Why not the Ministry or Hogwarts staff?" Our reporter asked as a concerned member of the magical world. "Are you kidding? They sent out 192 applications to muggleborn students last year. Do you know how many houses were visited? Three! And all three are attending Hogwarts. The Ministry and the Wizengamot do not really care about muggleborns or increasing the Wizarding population. It is full of bigots and I will not be surprised if our dear Minister tries to paint our organization in a bad light as an illegal organization."_

_"Why did you volunteer?" Here Ms. Crouch Evans sighed and said, "It is possible that I was obliviated and my magic bound. Makes you wonder if there are anything called 'muggleborns'. Maybe we are all descendants of purebloods or squibs who chose the muggle world, I know I am. My sister did not throw away her letter and she became a very famous witch!" "Your sister?" our reporter stupidly asked. "You know, Lily Evans... umm... Lily Potter!" What could our reporter say to such an argument but agree. How many Lily Potters are we missing out on? Even the brightest witch of the current generation, Hermione Granger says. "I am an ant hill compared to the Mount Everest known as Lily Potter. She figured out how to stop the Killing Curse." Wait, we thought it was Harry Potter who deflected the killing curse. Or maybe we have been fed another falsehood by our politicians, the proponents of the 'boy-who-lived' theory. Our reporters promise to research this information pretty fast and get back to our readers._

_The Truth Shall Set You Free!_

**MUGGLEBORNS' PARENTS ACTUALLY SUPPORT PUREBLOOD AGENDA**

_What is the biggest fear of the purebloods? Why do they see muggleborns as a threat? The biggest fear of most wizards and witches is that muggles might know the existence of the magical world and may choose to destroy it. This fears stems from the days of the 'witch-burning' and we at The High Inquisitor agree that it is a very valid factor._

_The muggles over the years have created ghastly methods to kill each other in the name of progress and war. The worst example of such destructive behavior was seen in 1945 when the muggles annihilated two cities in Japan, each the size of London, with a matter of a few seconds using a device called a nuclear bomb. The muggles have also invented machines that would fly from half way across the earth and drop such a nuke in your backyard with pinpoint accuracy. Against such destructive weapons, magic cannot survive. Hence the fear that our magical world may be destroyed in a conflict with the muggles is very valid and there is a necessity for keeping our world a secret. "Those bombs are an equivalent of a million killing curses. But does that mean muggles would drop such bombs on each other or us tomorrow? No! They have become very tolerant these days and after 1945, they have not dropped such a bomb on a city till date. It is amazing how much restraint the muggles show in spite of having such power. With great power comes great responsibility. It makes all the more sense not to unnecessarily antagonize the muggles," explains the father of a muggleborn student._

_'With all that progress, why do our purebloods treat muggleborns as second class citizens?' Our reporter wondered. "It is obvious that the Wizarding world is centuries behind the muggle world. Agreed that the muggle world does not have apparition, portkeys and conjuring, but it is amazing what the muggles can do with their technology. It is human nature to fear what you do not know. This fear, ignorance and the perceived notion of hanging onto Wizarding culture leads to practices like nepotism, bigotry and racism. The muggles have identified a long time ago that inbreeding can lead to genetic diseases and it appears that the purebloods of the Wizarding world have not yet woken up to this fact."_

_So what are the solutions? How can we keep the magical world a secret from the muggles? Ms. Crouch Evans, the president of 'Parents of Muggleborn Students [POMS]' explains, "Hundred percent of the parents of the muggleborn students in our organization have voluntarily signed a legally-binding oath to keep this secret. Magically binding oaths were voluntarily signed by those who had magic. The penalties for breaking both oaths are pretty extreme. POMS has also created safeguards and guidelines to follow in case of accidental disclosure of the secret. These safeguards include the use of Goblin-magic based jewelry that stops the wearer from disclosing the secret, confounds those in the vicinity of the accidental disclosure, and notifies obliviators at the Ministry of Magic." Our reporter was very impressed with the thoroughness of how POMS has tackled the situation. The new Wizarding companies '21st Century' and 'Lightning Broomsticks' are said to be the sponsors of these Goblin-magic jewelry and have promised to fund enough jewelry for everyone. _

_In related news, two students, a muggleborn and a pureblood, have applied for and received patents for two spells, 'Merlin' and 'Morgana'. Every time any magical person hears of Merlin or Morgana, the spells will reinforce their conviction to keep the Wizarding world a secret. Pretty ingenious, I would say! It is much better than trying to create a law that would try to force this issue and lead to discrimination. "We actually got this idea from the Dark Lord. No, we are not his supporters! What we mean is that the Dark Lord created a similar spell for his name, 'Lord V********'. This spell induces a Boggart-Dementor effect on anyone who hears the name. No wonder everyone shudders when they hear the dreaded name. Pretty ingenious I would say, to instill fear of his name, so that people fear him. We personally think that the phrases 'you-know-who' and 'he-who-must-not-be-named' are ridiculous. We prefer to call the Dark Lord by his given name Tom Marvolo Riddle who is actually a half-blood," the student geniuses explained. Is that the Dark Lord's real name? What is his blood status? Our reporters promise to investigate and report._

_The Truth Shall Set You Free!_

**LIGHTNING - THE ULTIMATE FLYING MACHINE**

_The broomstick twins have done it again! John and Alan Campbell had recently resigned from Firebolt Inc. and Nimbus Corporation to start their own broomstick company called 'Lightning GEC'. The twins have earned the prestigious 'Golden Broom' award many a times in their 20 year careers. "We are tired of the restrictions on us at these companies stopping us from building the ultimate broom. While Cleansweep and Nimbus companies believe in bringing upgrades to good brooms, Firebolt let us build a good broom, but priced it too high for the common wizard and witch. That is one of the reasons for us to resign from these companies and start our own company." One of the twins commented._

_The Lightning is a fantasy come true. The wood used in the handle and the bristles is magical wood, the first ever in any broomstick available at any store. When asked where they got their huge supply of magical wood, the twins smiled and said, "Let us just say that we are not doing any illegal poaching or deforestation. We waited so that we could grow magical plants on our private property and hence are able to create at least a million broomsticks. We wish for every witch and wizard to own our broom."_

_The neutral magical core in the handle of the Lightning channels the magic from the flyer. Based on the flyer's experience in flying a broom, the broom modifies its performance. The tests conducted have seen speeds of more than 400 miles per hour when an experienced flier flies the broom compared to 80 miles per hour in hands of an inexperienced flier. Our sports reporter wishes to inform the readers that this innovation has never been seen before. The broom also modifies its performance based on the Quidditch position the flyer plays. The box in which the broom is stored can easily be shrunken and carried in the pocket or a chain around the neck. The company also guarantees repairs or replacements on faulty brooms._

_The Lightning will be available in select stores around the world on August 7th. This fantastic broom is available at a low price of 110 Galleons per broom (or easy installments of 10 Galleons a month for twelve months). "The Firebolt Corporation produced only 1000 brooms and hence priced it at 3500 Galleons per broom. When you build a million brooms, it is easy to keep the cost per broom low," John Campbell commented with a wink. If these brooms take off like it should, all other brooms including the Firebolt, will have to be sold as scrap for recycling._

_The Lightning also have the honor of being the only company ever endorsed by Harry Potter. On questioning Alan Campbell about this, he said, "In our correspondence with Mr. Potter through the 'Enchanted Journals', we were able to get him to advertise for our company. He had two conditions before he agreed. First, that he never be referred to by his hyphenated nickname as he hates it, second, he not be paid in cash or kind for promoting the broom. He only wished us to donate brooms to Hogwarts equal to the number of students in the incoming new year. Come September, we will be donating 250 brooms for use by the first year class and 60 brooms for the four Quidditch teams." Mr. Potter and the broomstick twins get a standing ovation from this reporter._

_The Truth Shall Set You Free!_

**GRINGOTTS ANNOUNCES BETTER BANKING EXPERIENCES**

_In view of the current political atmosphere, the Gringotts spokesperson Ms. Fleur Delacour reported that Gringotts is adopting several practices to improve the security of Gringotts and to improve the customers' banking experience. Gringotts has announced the following changes._

_The customers now need not visit their vaults to withdraw money. Each customer will be given a money pouch that directly links to the owner of the vault. Using the money pouch, the customer just has to wish for the amount of galleons needed and they will appear in the pouch. The pouch has an upper spending limit of 10,000 Galleons per day. Wishing for a balance statement will provide a parchment that lists the current balance in the customer's vault(s). _

_Ms. Delacour explains that this money pouch will be given free for all customers, but the customers need to collect it within a month, failing which, Gringotts will charge 1 galleon for every visit to the customers vault subsequently. "Imagine the time it would save the customers if they did not have to wait in the queue for their money. Also imagine not having to go on that goblin-cart ride!" Ms. Delacour joked._

_Gringotts has also announced that it will stop sending all regular owl-based correspondence. Gringotts has contracted with a new company called 'Rune-Port Corporation' which manufactures 'Rune-Mail' mats. These mats may be used to send and receive mail instantly from each other. Gringotts plans to owl-mail these mats to every customer along with the instructions to bind and customize the mats to the owners of the vault. Ms. Delacour explained that this feature will ensure that none of the Gringotts correspondence may be intercepted midway._

_The Truth Shall Set You Free!_

**FIFTY-THREE INCAPACITATED DEATH EATERS APPEAR IN DMLE**

_The Director of Magical Law Enforcement, Madam Amelia Bones reported that 53 incapacitated death eaters in death eater regalia were sent by unregistered portkeys to the DMLE. "We do not know where these death eaters came from or even who sent them. The Death Eaters appear to be in a magical coma and preliminary scans indicated that they are in magical shock," explained the veteran Auror. She refused to give any more details as that might compromise integrity and security of the investigation. She refused to comment if the death eaters would be moved to Azkaban or St. Mungos._

_The Truth Shall Set You Free!_

**MINISTRY COFFERS NEARLY EMPTY**

_Recently our reporters sniffed a lead that an unknown company tried to buy/lease the voting spell from the Ministry. The unnamed company's spokesperson told the Goblins who were trying to acquire the spell for them that they would use it for a lottery/sweepstakes, where the general population would use this spell to vote/bid for the winning price._

_The Minister refused to sell the spell and quoted a five-digit galleon figure for the spell. Our reporter was curious about this transaction and dug deeper to find that the Minister was desperate for Galleons as the Ministry Coffers were nearly empty. With the appearance of the Dark Lord, I wonder how the Ministry is going to find the money to prepare for this new threat. Our reporters have promised to dig deeper into the Ministry finances and report next week._

_The Truth Shall Set You Free!_


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18: As Things Come Along Nicely**

"If you could all settle down, we will start our meeting." Dumbledore looked like a tired man. There were too many things happening that he was not aware of and he was uncomfortable not being in control. In the room were the Weasleys, a newly refurbished Moody, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Mundungus Fletcher, Minerva McGonagall, Severus Snape, Dedalius Diggle and a few other order members. Severus Snape really looked sore on losing his teaching position at Hogwarts.

"Headmaster, what are you going to do about Mr. Snape?" one of the order members inquired.

Albus sighed. "I am going to offer a research position to Severus as soon as the board gives me the permission. If they do not agree, I will fund the position as part of the Order of the Phoenix. The new board is going to look over my actions with a fine comb and I really don't want them to create more trouble for us. Hopefully I will be able to push items onto the board's agenda, something that I have wanted done in a long time."

"And what would those be Headmaster?"

Dumbledore looked at Bill and said, "I have wanted the Goblins to overlay a few custom wards on Hogwarts. I hear that they have an anti-dark mark and anti-dark creature ward with key in exceptions on some of their businesses. Bill, could you get an estimate of what wards we can overlay on Hogwarts existing wards?" Bill nodded.

"What about the allegations of misuse of Hogwarts budget?" Dedalius Diggle, a Wizarding solicitor inquired.

"Unfortunately, some of them are true. Some of the excess budget was diverted to the activities of the Order of the Phoenix. Now that that source is going to dry up, I will have to rely on my primary source of funding for Order activities." Nobody except Dumbledore knew that the Potter Vault was funding all their activities.

"Anyway Severus, what do you have to report?" Dumbledore looked at Severus solemnly.

"The Dark Lord was very angry for a lot of reasons. He expected Draco Malfoy to inherit the Black fortune. He never expected that mutt to banish everyone else from the Black Family and distribute the assets. Apparently the Malfoy fortune is down to 5-digit now from an impressive 7-digit." Dumbledore nodded.

"He is also worried about losing revenue from his other income sources. He suspects that his broom companies are going to take a hit. The potions company might cause problems as it might lead to a loss of demand for potions ingredients. He was especially angry at loss of Daily Prophet. He held Ogden under the Cruciatus for a long time for the Weasley's case. Only the owl order business and portkey business do not seem to be affected."

"Day before yesterday, on the Potter brat's birthday, he had ordered hits on 13 of his friends from the Dumbledore's Army. But none of those death eaters came back. He tortured everyone in the chamber when he read that they were port keyed to the DMLE in an unconscious state. He still does not know what happened and has asked Wormtail to find out."

"Do you know the names of the intended targets?" Severus shook his head. "Did you say that all death eaters were incapacitated and portkeyed?" Severus nodded. "Are there any new attacks planned?"

"The Dark Lord plans to hit Diagon Alley sometime next week. I don't think I will know the exact time of attack." Severus explained.

"Thank you Severus. I have received a letter from Ms. Delacour that the Veela Nation has ordered her to distance herself from our Order. They definitely have not aligned themselves with the dark, but they are adapting a wait and see approach. Bill, do you know of any reason why that would be so?"

Bill shook his head and said, "I do not really know. But I remember Fleur and Gabrielle being giddy about something. Now that I think about it, Fleur somehow learnt full control over her Veela charm. I did not feel it from her at all."

There were many gasps in the room. "But that has never been done right?"

"No, it has never been done. It was the Veelas holy grail. Someone taught Fleur to that during that week she took training at Gringotts and I don't think she would tell any of us if the Veela Nation ordered her not to reveal it."

"While I am on the topic of Gringotts, I have something interesting to report. I visited the Abbott residence in the morning today on an assignment from Gringotts to certify their new wards. I could not believe what I saw. Other than Fidelius, you name the ward, and they had it. It was one of the strongest wards I have seen other than Gringotts and Hogwarts. Even the ministry does not have such good wards. I have another 10 houses to go to this week and I expect to see the same. Could the Abbott residence be one of the sites that were ordered for attack? I can believe that as I saw a ward that would shock the magical core with excess magic and a portkey ward to DMLE." Bill explained.

"Do you know who installed the wards?" Dumbledore enquired. "No! They wouldn't say."

Dumbledore held his head with his hands and massaged his temples. "Thank you Bill. Minerva?"

"The first year enrollment has gone up to 214 students. I have also received confirmation from Gringotts that 198 of them have already paid their tuition for this year. So this should help us hire more teachers as it undoubtedly is a large class. I have received a letter from Mr. Campbell that we will receive a shipment of 310 brooms on September 2nd."

Dumbledore brightened at the single good news he has heard till now. "That is good news. I have received several applications for various subjects. Ms. Tonks has applied for both Defense and Transfiguration. Mr. Rajendra Patil, the brother of our twins, has applied for the DADA position. Mrs. Andromeda Tonks has applied for the Potions position. Charlie Weasley has applied for the Care of Magical Creatures position, and surprisingly Ms. Evans has applied for the Muggle studies position. She has promised to send me lesson plans for all 7 years within 15 days and said that they would be very different from the Ministry approved syllabus. She plans to work with the ministry to change the syllabus." Dumbledore shook his head as if he believed that it was impossible. "Hagrid?"

"Some of the older unicorns are back as are some of the Centaurs. The Acromantula are still missing. Aragog and Mosag were reluctant to tell me where they were gone."

"HARRY!" Parvati squealed as soon as Harry and the witches entered the muggle restaurant called The Bamboo Garden. She hugged him and whispered, "Thank you! I know you had something to do with that document that we signed." Harry smiled at her. Padma walked up to him and hugged him too and whispered her thanks.

"My! My! You have grown taller and become more handsome Harry. I love your eyes, now that you are not hiding it behind those damn glasses. I assume that you are wearing contacts?" Parvati gushed. Harry blushed and mumbled something about thanking Mrs. Tonks and her potion. Padma observed that most of the witches give Parvati possessive looks. Diffusing the tension caused by Parvati's obvious flirting, Padma laughed and said, "Harry, I think introductions are in order."

Harry smiled. "Ladies, let me introduce my friends here. Hermione Granger, Susan Bones, Luna Lovegood, Daphne Greengrass and Nymphadora Tonks... but please call her Tonks or she might hex you into next year."

"Awesome! I know all of them except Tonks from my Arithmancy and Ancient Runes class. It is nice to meet you Tonks." Padma gave each witch a hug while Parvati smiled. Harry groaned and said, "Am I the only nut who did not take those awesome classes?" Parvati snickered and linked her arm in Harry's and settled next to Harry in their private dining area. "In that case, I am a fellow nut too. Did you guys hear about the recent gossip?" Parvati asked excitedly which made Padma roll her eyes exaggeratedly.

While the other witches were busy gossiping, Padma, Hermione and Harry ordered some lovely Indo-Chinese food. "Parvati and Padma, I cannot speak for Ron, but I would like to apologize for my behavior during the Yule Ball in our fourth year. Two beautiful ladies such as you, deserved much better." Parvati and Padma looked at each other and did that twin-communication through their eyes. They both immediately schooled their expressions on their face into a serious one and said, "Do you think a simple apology would do? Do you know how traumatic it is to our young impressionable minds?"

Harry thought for a minute and mentally conversed with his four wives. While Parvati was observing Harry, Padma actually noticed that all four witches had gone a little distant for a few moments. "You are right! I will make up for my oversight and you have two options. First, I could take you both on a date in town and ensure you have fun. Mind you, with Riddle behind me, I am not looking for any romance or commitment." Harry said with a wink.

"Confident much? You could not manage just one of us a year and half ago. Now you think you can manage the two of us?" Parvati scoffed.

"You said something about a second option?" Padma asked.

"Yes, the second option would be an all expense paid 7-day vacation to India with the present company plus two." Charlie had come back with the Weasleys and had decided to take up Tonks' offer. "You both will be our tour guides. I have half a day of business while I am there and I can make my own arrangements."

The faces of the two Indian witches lit up. "Really? When can we go?" "We so wanted to meet our grandparents this year, but Mom had a few last minute appointments and we had to cancel our trip. That would be lovely! What all do you want to do?"

Harry laughed at the twins' excitement. "Susan definitely wants to get a tan on the beach. Hermione would love to visit historic sites, Daphne would love to look at your potion-supplies bazaar and hunt for potion recipes, Luna and I would love to visit some jungles and interact with magical creatures. I would also love to visit the mountains and the sea. I have never been there before. And I am sure all the witches would love to shop." "YAYYY SHOPPING!"

"That will be awesome! Would it be alright if we all split up in the morning and meet each other every afternoon or early evening? Parvati and I are going to con our elder brother and cousins to be tour guides. Harry, you are going to love my grandpa's Herpertarium!" Padma had the same gleam in her eyes that Harry was very familiar with whenever Hermione starts her planning sessions.

"That would be perfect. I did not know you had a brother. And how many cousins do you have?" Harry inquired.

Parvati rolled her eyes. "Harry, I don't think you have any idea about India's population. My mother has four brothers and four sisters. My dad has a brother and six sisters. We have about 40 first cousins. " Parvati grinned. "Believe us, finding tour guides will not be a problem at all!"

Harry grinned. He continued talking with Parvati about Indian culture while he spied Padma and Hermione bring out their ever present notepads and start working on an itinerary. Harry laughed and shook his head. "Say Parvati, I know you are interested in fashion and beauty care. Do you know anyone who is interested in starting a shop similar to Madam Malkins in another Magic Alley?"

Parvati looked stunned. "Of course I do, Harry. My aunt and Mrs. Brown, you know Lavender's mom have been scouting for a location for almost a year. Diagon Alley's rental prices are too high and they have not been able to raise that kind of financing. Why do you ask?"

"How about someone I know offer them a deal on a good location and add in a ton of Acromantula silk at 1/4th the market value? Why don't you give me your aunt's address?" Parvati was surprised at that and wrote down her aunt's address on a piece of paper. Harry went into a meditative trance for a few seconds and then told Parvati, "Someone is on their way to meet your Aunt!" Parvati was so shocked that her jaw had dropped. "How did you do that?" Padma and Hermione were oblivious of what was going on. The other witches saw Parvati's expression and snickered. "Ask not any questions and I will not lie," Harry told the Indian witch cryptically and she nodded.

"So who is up for some travel shopping? I believe we are leaving tomorrow for India and it will be pretty hot and humid at most places there. Dora, do you think you can shop for Aurora and Charlie too?" Harry inquired and Tonks nodded her head. "Parvati, I know you are close to Lavender, so feel free to shop for her even though she is not joining us on the trip."

After an hour of shopping, Harry escaped from the witches. He really did not want to witness the witches shopping for their unmentionables and bikinis. Parvati and Padma initially were hesitant to shop and Harry convinced them that the shopping and the trip was his responsibility. It was part of the deal and each person had a 500 galleon limit for shopping today.

On seeing their gob-smacked expression, Harry explained, "Parvati and Padma, I know I don't have to buy your friendship." The two witches vigorously nodded. "You really don't know how rich I am and believe me if I tell you that even if you manage to spend 10,000 galleons today, it will be less than what I earn in a day. I have enough money to splurge and live for 100 generations. I am not boasting and but am merely stating a fact. Two things are precious to me, my friends' lives and their happiness. If you had surplus of a delicious candy, would you not share it with me?" Both witches nodded again. "It is the same case here. I have excess of something. I don't throw it away, but use it to bring some happiness into the lives of my friends. So if you consider me your friend, both will accept my deal."

"Thank you Harry!" Both witches hugged him and kissed his cheek. "Please do not tell anyone that I am rich. The thing I respect in a friend is their ability to keep my secrets. I hate attention and fame. I hate fan-girls. Please, I beg of you, not to act like as one." Parvati and Padma scoffed together. "Don't worry Harry! We will kick your butt if you are wrong..." "And still tell you that your haircut is hideous." Parvati and Padma snickered.

Harry took the Goblin portkey to Gringotts to attend his two scheduled meetings. "Griphook, thank you for seeing me at such short notice."

"It is my pleasure to serve, Harry. I have a few things to discuss with you. First, Ms. Chang and Ms. Li have sent us a status report. We have to make two decisions here. The Goblins have identified a wizard Obliviator who agreed to part with the magic binding charms they use. We may have to bribe him a 1,000 galleons." Harry nodded and asked him to go ahead with that. "We have made copies of all the books in the Malfoy Library while we were retrieving the Black books from there." Griphook grinned. "I hope you don't mind that I have paid the 4 Goblins who helped us 500 Galleons each for their effort." Harry gave Griphook a thumbs-up sign. "Now, do we give Ms. Chang and Ms. Li copies of those books?"

"Griphook, can someone could look at those books and only give Cho and Su the books that are relevant? If they don't find anything in the subset, they should be given access to the whole collection." Griphook nodded.

"Next, I have solved your problem about acquiring potions supplies from magical animals." Griphook grinned. This particular problem had been vexing Harry for a long time and he could not find a solution. "The Goblins helped me acquire 20-year contracts from animal breeders and hunters in China, Canada, Brazil, Africa, Russia, Java and Australia for magical animal potions ingredients. We are negotiating a contract with a family in India for snake products." Griphook explained.

"Excellent! Goblins are the best! Pay the breeders and hunters generously and ensure that they don't hunt the animals to extinction. Even if you have to buy the forests to ensure that, please do it. It is more important than immediate petty profits." Harry suggested.

"Harry, you really think very differently from the Goblins. We would have focused more on profits per deal rather than long term impact. But we will do as you suggested. You don't mind giving the Goblins a finder's fee, do you?"

"Of course not Griphook! You don't have to ask me for permission for such things. You know how I think, so make decisions at your discretion. I consider you my brother. So you may act instead of me in such circumstances." Griphook beamed at the honor.

"Last thing before your next meeting Harry. You really need to meet your muggle investment brokers. Here is their card." Harry picked up the card to read _Finch, Fletchley and Emyrs, Investment Bankers_. Harry looked at the card in amazement. "I have confirmed your dinner plans today with them. They are expecting you at 6 PM. Will you be able to make it?" Griphook enquired.

"The world is definitely a small place! Of course I will go. I will take Hermione and Susan with me."

"I will let them know. Now folks for your other meeting are waiting in the conference room."

Harry walked into the conference room with his hood pulled up and a glamour charm obscuring his face. He gave each of them a secrecy oath document and a blood quill. "Thank you for coming. Could you please sign this document so that we can get on with our discussion?" Harry watched the gathered group as they read the document and signed it. Fred and George Weasley were grinning while Katie Bell gave him a smirk. Oliver Wood, Alicia Spinnet, Angelina Johnson and Lee Jordan had already seen a similar document before and hence they signed it after reading it. The only person who was doubtful was Penelope Clearwater and she too signed the document after seeing that the others had already done so.

Harry took off his hood and said hello. "HARRY?" "POTTER?" The question was echoed by the others while Katie and the twins laughed. "Sorry folks, we knew, but we couldn't tell you."

"But tell us, oh illustrious partner..."

"And almost brother! What is ..."

"Ms. Clearwater..."

"Our perfect prefect's girlfriend..."

"Doing here?"

Harry and Penelope laughed. Harry looked at Penelope and asked, "They don't know?"

Penelope looked at the twins' curious expression and laughed. "No! Only Charlie does!"

"KNOWS WHAT?" The twins echoed.

Harry winked at Penelope and said, "It seems..."

Penelope continued, "You perfect prefect brother..."

Harry said, "Is a better Prankster than..."

"You both gave him credit for." Penelope finished Harry's thought.

Everyone in the room laughed out loud seeing Harry and Penelope imitate the twin speak and laughed louder seeing the twins expression on hearing about Percy. "Yes, Fred and George! It was all an act on Percy's part. He has his reasons for doing what he did and we would appreciate it if you kept it a secret from the rest of the world." Penelope requested.

"Well, in that case, Ms. Clearwater..."

"Welcome to the Family!" Fred and George hugged a shocked Penelope.

"How did you know? I thought I had glamoured the ring pretty well!" Penelope asked. The other witches squealed and looked at her ring finger and appreciated the ring while Penelope beamed.

The twins laughed and said, "We have our own secrets, sister-in-law-to-be!"

After a few minutes, Lee Jordan asked Harry. "And why are we all gathered here for?"

"Right!" Harry clapped his hands to get everyone's attention. "Do you all remember my first Quidditch match where I almost swallowed the snitch to catch it?" Everyone nodded. "Lee, could you please think of the last few minutes of the match while I retrieve your memory?" Harry touched Lee's temple with his wand and pulled out a silver strand and placed it on an Elven memory orb. "Now watch!" Harry pulled out the white sheet from a large flat-screen television-lookalike. Harry held a device which looked very much like a muggle remote and pressed a few buttons. "Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Quidditch Network on the Wizion."

Everyone looked shocked as they viewed the last few minutes of Harry's first match. "Here is why you all are here today! I am a very rich guy and I don't want anyone to know it. I hate attention and fame. I don't like fans. So I prefer to stay in the background. I want you all to be my fronts in the businesses I own." Most of the audience looked shocked at the announcement.

"I own three Quidditch teams: Puddlemore United, Holyhead Harpies and Chudley Cannons." The audience's jaws dropped. "There are 10 other teams out there and believe me, they are all owned by death eaters. I want to ruin those teams and if possible buy them. Of course, I do have money to buy them all outright, but that would mean contributing to death eater finances. So I have come up with a multi-pronged strategy to basically kill their finances."

"First, we kill the broomstick industry. I can't thank the broomstick twins enough for creating the Lightning!" Harry looked at Katie Bell who beamed at that. She had suspected that Harry had something to do with her father and uncle's sudden retirement decision.

"Second, make my three teams the best there is. The Cannons are going to change their whole roster. I have invited Victor Krum to play as seeker. I was hoping that Oliver would accept the Keeper position, Angelina and Alicia would be Chasers. Amie Mendonza, from Beaubatons, would be the other chaser while our own Katie Bell finishes her seventh year. I have invited Jacob and Nathaniel Portman, the beater twins from Salem, to play as beaters. Fred and George, I hope you don't mind not playing for the Cannons. I need you both for more important things. The old Cannons team will still be on the roster and will act as coaches. I am willing to pay 1.5 times of what the highest paid player will get. Will you accept?"

"YES!" was the resounding answer.

"Brilliant! I want Oliver Wood and Katie Bell to head the 'Quidditch Network'. That means, I want you to get contracts from all the teams to broadcast their matches live on the QN. Also get permission to broadcast old matches from people's memories. The Goblins will help you with the terms and conditions and Susan Bones will word the contracts." Harry said the last sentence while looking at the twins. "So she is the Oath Goddess!" One of the twins exclaimed. Harry could only laugh at Susan's new moniker. "I want Lee Jordan to be the lead commentator on both the QN and any matches played by our three teams." Harry looked at Lee and he nodded his consent.

"As your might have heard, I am negotiating with the ministry to buy/lease the patent for the voting charm. I want the audience to be sucked into watching QN. They get to vote on various mini-quizzes and will win large prizes." Everyone looked at Harry skeptically. He smiled and explained. "This voting charm serves two purposes. One, the more prizes you give, the more the viewership of the network. It is great for business." Everyone nodded.

"The second and more important use of the voting charm, once the public gets used to it, we will use the same process to change laws as soon as the current political climate changes." Everyone gaped at Harry as if he had grown a second and a third head. Harry laughed at everyone and asked, "Did you think that I was going to stop at the QN on the Wizion? We are going to start a news channel which will report only truthful news. There will be a Wizengamot channel which will telecast live the proceedings of the Wizengamot. The Ministry WILL be made accountable to its public."

"Are you sure you are not a Slytherin?" Penelope asked. Harry laughed and asked if she would believe him if he told that the sorting hat wanted him to place him there first? Everyone else in the room was still speechless.

"Anyway, this box as you may have guessed is called Wizion and is the Wizarding equivalent of muggle television and Internet. These were created in the Wizarding world, so the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts office should not have any problems here. They run on magic and can even play muggle television channels." Katie danced a jig! She really missed muggle television while in the Magical World.

Harry laughed at Katie's antics and asked, "Have you heard of Rune-mail and Rune-Ports?" Most of the audience nodded. "Well, Wizion integrates with Rune-Mail and you can shop without having to go the shops. You look at the stores' inventory and buy things and money gets deducted from your Gringotts vaults and products shipped via Rune-Mail almost instantly." Harry finished with a flourish. He loved the fish mouth expression on everyone's faces.

"Wizion will be distributed by a company called the '21st Century'. Hermione is the chief inventor of most of our products. Penelope, I want you to work with her and take over invention of most of her new products. You will be taught a few patent-protected things which would be the basis of most inventions. You will also be running the '21st Century' company. That means, you hire staff who will man the stores."

"Other than Wizion, 21st Century has products such as self-refilling fountain pens which are much better than quills, files and folders to organize scrolls, muggle paper which is much more economical than parchment, Fountain pens that are charmed to write what you are thinking, which are much better than dicta-quills and many such inventions that are inspired from muggle inventions. Hermione wants you Penelope to take over the Wizarding cellphone project that she has just started."

"What if the ministry tries to stop such an enterprise?" Penelope asked.

"Everyone loves Quidditch and so the Ministry will be helpless. I will try to appease the Minister by contributing galleons to DMLE. In spite of all that, if they cause problems, we will topple Fudge's regime. I sure have dirt on that scumbag!" Harry commented off-handedly.

"My goal is to make the Ministry accountable for its actions, and root out the corruption. I don't care about blood politics and I think everyone was born equal." Harry declared. Harry then handed each a folder of what he expected their jobs to be. He then handed an additional secrecy oath document for Percy to sign so that she need not keep secrets from her fiancé. He told her that he would meet her fiancé's boss sometime next week.

"What if the death eaters attack Diagon alley and target the store?" Alicia asked.

"Who ever said anything about the store being in Diagon Alley?" Harry asked cryptically with a smirk on his face. "The store will be located in a new Wizarding Alley called 'Magic Alley' in a new Wizarding village I have built called 'Godric's Hollow'. Death Eaters and anyone with harmful intent are not welcome there." Harry loved the fact that a few fainted due to all the shocks that evening.

Harry, Hermione and Susan walked up to the Finch-Fletchley residence and rang the bell. "Harry and Hermione? What are you doing here? SUSAN! Long time no see!" Justin hugged Susan. "We have a dinner appointment with your parents Justin." Harry explained.

"Really? I thought dad and mom are meeting their partner. Unless you are..." Justin's eyes widened.

"Think no more of it Justin. You know me as Harry and let it be Harry." Harry really did not want others to think of him in a different light. Justin invited the trio in and invited Susan up to his room and she happily followed him.

"Mr. and Mrs. Finch-Fletchley, I am Harry Potter and this is Hermione Granger. Pleased to meet you." Harry shook their hands.

"Actually it is Mr. Finch and Mrs. Fletchley. She refused to take my name." Mr. Finch pouted. "But, it gets confusing. So please call us Thomas and Joanna. Makes life much easier, not having to stick to formality." Harry and Hermione nodded. "Harry, you really look like your father with your mother's eyes."

"You knew them?" Harry could not help but ask. Thomas laughed. "Knew them? Of course I knew them. Joanna was your mother's childhood neighbor. After your parents got together, James, Lily and Sirius were a permanent fixture here. Who do you think our third partner is? Emyrs as in Merlin? It was James and Sirius' idea of a joke. Effectively you are our new partner now. We don't believe that Sirius could have betrayed James and Lily. Do you know anything about it?"

"I know who betrayed my parents. It is Peter Pettigrew and he blamed my godfather Sirius for it. Sirius broke out of Azkaban, but he lost his life in a battle at the Ministry last month."

"We are sorry for your loss, Harry. We have a lot of fond memories of your parents and your godfather. If you ever wish to hear about them, let us know. But not today, we got a lot of things to cover."

"Here is the portfolio of our company," Thomas said while handing a file each to Harry and Hermione. "Most of the stocks have an 8-10 percent annual return. The technology market is about to boom and we are planning on moving some of these monies into it. We are a little hesitant to do that as these investments are conservative ones and the new technology market might be a little volatile. We were hoping we would get your input as you technically own 60 percent of our total investments." Thomas explained.

Hermione and Harry looked at the companies in which they owned stocks. Most of them seemed to be very stable companies. Hermione and Harry talked to each other mentally and decided to keep these stocks the way they were. "Thomas and Joanne, What do you say if I ask you to leave these as it is, and give you more money to invest in the tech market?"

"How much new investment are we talking about Harry?" Joanne inquired.

"Well, the total portfolio of our company is about 300 million pounds which is 60 million galleons. How about I invest 60 million galleons more?"

Thomas and Joanne's eyes widened before they schooled a professional look on their faces. "Actually Harry, the 5 pounds to 1 galleon exchange rate is fixed by your Ministry and forced on the Goblins. It is more realistic to assume 50-75 pounds per galleon based on weight of the gold. Why don't you do what your parents and Sirius did? Melt the galleons into gold bricks of 1 Kg each. We will pawn the gold in one of the International banks and with that money we will invest in these new ventures. Over time, we will buy back the gold we pawn from the returns on the new investments. But for now, I think we can only afford to increase our investments by 100 percent. That means that only 6 million galleons would do."

"Hold on! Let me ask the Goblins if they would melt the galleons for us." Harry concentrated for a minute and then smiled. "They agree but on the condition that we tell them how my parents overcame the Goblin enchantments."

Thomas laughed. "Lily was a very smart witch! It is a muggle technique called electrolysis. It uses electricity. I will mail a book on that to the Goblins."

"What will be the return on investment in these new technology ventures?" Hermione inquired.

"These investments will be riskier than the conservative market, but will give better returns on investment which we estimate to be around 20-25 percent. Also, the stocks will be worth much more after a few years." Joanne explained.

"Perfect! Thomas and Joanne, on a different note, how difficult will it be to issue our own muggle credit cards to the magical folks? The Goblins have no idea of the muggle world finances and I want to start a bank/agency that bridges the finances of these two worlds. The way I see it, someone could make a huge profit by converting a lot of muggle currency into galleons at 5 pounds per Galleon and melt the Galleons into gold and sell it in the muggle world. I plan to do the reverse of it, that is get the magical world to spend in the muggle world using a muggle credit card and we charge them the equivalent in galleons based on the 5 pounds per galleon conversion rate."

"That is a very good idea Harry. Do you think you will have enough investment of gold to undertake such a venture?" Joanne asked.

"More than enough. I understand that we can't let Wizarding world become... a free market. But there are many things the magical world can buy from the muggle world. Food and beverages are the first that pop in my mind. I want to start a super-food store from which each magical family can buy from. Delivery of food and produce will be instantaneous, thanks to magic. In fact, the super food store need not be here in the U.K. It can be anywhere in the world where there is enough supply. What do you think?"

Thomas whistled. "If we can do that, it will earn a lot of money. Is it time for us to diversify? Why not you let Joanne and I hash it out and you bring in the magic components. We may have to call in some favors from our colleagues in the banking industry. When do you want to start this by?"

"How about the first of October? That enough time? I can ask the Elves or the Goblins to help you speed it up. They are very efficient."

"That will be great. Let us head into the dining room now." Joanne invited everyone for a gourmet dinner.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19: An Indian Vacation**

It had been three days since Harry and his friends had traveled to Hyderabad, India. After spending the night at the Patil residence, Tonks and Charlie had disappeared to go their own private trip. Harry had handed Tonks and Aurora boxes full of Indian Muggle currency called Rupees and a bag full of Indian Wizarding currency called Sovereigns and Annas. Surprisingly the muggle Indian population had a very good tolerance for the Wizarding world, with some wizards performing miracles (magic) and being revered as god-men.

Rajendra Patil (_please call me Raj_), brother of the Patil twins and Septima Vector (_please call me Aurora_) had hit it off from day one and became much closer after Raj announced that he had applied for the DADA post at Hogwarts. The Patil twins encouraged the obviously-love-struck-yet-in-denial couple to make their own private plans.

The Patil twins, Susan and surprisingly Hermione disappeared most of the daylight hours to shop. They had visited the _Chudi Bazaar_ and bought an assortment of bangles of every color and design imaginable. Harry suspected that they were planning on starting a bangles store in Magic Alley. They had also shopped for traditional Indian clothes such as silk Sarees, Kurtas and Gaghra-Cholis. Harry was very happy that Susan and Hermione had not only shopped for themselves but also for Daphne, Luna, Tonks and Aurora. "Harry, we really tried to hit the 500 Galleons per witch per day limit, but in spite of shopping till we drop, we four could only spend a total of 250 Galleons because of the huge conversion rate." It had become a tradition to display the spoils of the day for Harry's appraisal every night before they hit the sack.

Daphne spent all her time with Mrs. Aruna Patil, grandmother of the Patil twins, Potions Mistress and Professor at the Himalayan Institute of Magic (H.I.M.). Dadi (grandmother) Patil as she preferred to be called, acted like a school girl in excitement when Daphne demonstrated the automated potion maker and looked at Daphne in awe when she showed her all the healing potions that Daphne's team had modified. They had disappeared into the potions lab and had not been seen until later. Daphne told Harry that Dadi Patil had given her copies of all her research and wanted her to collaborate with her. They were now working on effects of Neem and Garlic on Insanity; Lotus Flower and Banana Inflorescence on Insomnia; and Turmeric on Healing Wounds. Apparently the Indian Magical Community had a flourishing trade wherein they sold Wizarding potions as Ayurvedic cures to the muggle population.

Luna had disappeared to the twins' aunts' house the very next morning after their arrival. The aunts, Ms. Pranati Patil and Ms. Parinita Patil were Assistant Professors at the H.I.M. and taught Warding and Charms respectively. Luna mind-spoke with Harry every evening and told him that she was working on a secret project that Harry would love.

The Patil aunts and Luna presented their invention after dinner the third day. They had created a ward that would be applied to a door frame. It was almost undetectable by standard ward-revealing charms except by magical sight like Moody's magical eye or Luna's contacts. The ward stole half a milliliter of blood directly from the heart of any person who walked across the ward and transported the blood into a crystal vial at a distance. The ward would assess the chamber of the person's heart that was in diastole, i.e. in a relaxed state, and vanish a miniscule amount of blood. Removing the blood when the heart chamber was relaxing ensured that there was no pain or discomfort when the blood was stolen, making the ward undetectable. Hermione was hyper-excited and promised that she would have the geographical tracking maps ready as soon as they returned to England.

Harry had had the most interesting 3 days of his life. On the first day Mr. Ashok Patil, the twins' grandfather, had shown him his Herpetarium which housed close to 1500 species of magical and non magical snakes, lesser dragons, and lizards such as the chameleon lizard, iguanas and Indian lizard known as Oodumu. Mr. Patil told Harry a story of an Indian King who stormed an almost impenetrable fortress with the help of these magical Oodumu lizards which produce a very strong sticking solution on their feet. The King ordered his soldiers to tie a rope to the tails of these Oodumu lizards and the soldiers threw these lizards as high as they could against the fortress' walls in the middle of the night. When the lizards stuck themselves to the wall, the soldiers scaled the walls of the impenetrable fortress with ease and captured the enemy king.

Mr. Patil also told the story of a Black wizard from Africa who travelled to India more than a millennium ago and sacrificed a few dozen chameleon lizards as a ritual sacrifice. These lizards were considered holy and to willfully harm or kill them was considered an unforgivable sin. He told Harry that stories like that were used to create feelings of Xenophobia among the traditional Indian families. Harry wondered if the Black wizard was actually a Black Family ancestor who became the first Metamorphomagus. Harry was really very happy that Tonks had agreed to the Patil twins condition that she could not morph while in India. Now, Harry understood the significance of such a request.

During the next two days, Harry discovered a lot of interesting facts about Indian Wizarding culture. Mr. Patil explained that all his relatives, including the Patil twins, spoke Parseltongue which was considered as a sacred gift. There were many Indian families who spoke the serpent-tongue and were followers of Lord Shiva, the first Parselmouth, who they considered as a God, one of the Holy Trinity. Harry also found out that Mr. Patil never used a wand and relied on Aryan and Dravidian Runes that were etched into his finger tips. These runes helped channel his magic making a wand redundant.

The third interesting discovery was that the Indian Wizarding population never played Quidditch or flew broomsticks. "A broom is a dirty thing and is to be used only to clean. Who in their right mind would enchant it to fly?" Most people followed the muggle sport Cricket very religiously and some people played a magical variant of American Baseball known as _Gola-danda_. This game had a pitcher, batters, and fielders just like in the muggle sport. The difference however was that there were 6 bases in _Gola-danda_, i.e. a base above and another below the pitcher. All players played with a levitation and propulsion device similar to a muggle jet-pack on a shoulder harness and played this game in the air. Harry was enthralled by this concept of flying without the help of a broom, which meant that both hands were free to do other things while in the air.

The most interesting day Harry had during his vacation was the day Mr. Patil had taken him to meet the Centaurs in the Dandaka Aranya Forest in the Gangetic plains. Harry had expected the Centaurs to behave similar to their European counterparts, but Harry was surprised to find the exact opposite. Mr. Patil and Harry were invited into the Centaurian Village with open arms. These Centaurs believed in harmony with other species and they were the keepers of the peace on the Indian sub-continent. The arrival of Dobby to create the Elven portal lead to a frenzy among the Centaurs. They all fell on their knees and prostrated before Dobby. Harry found it hilarious that the Centaurs treated Dobby as royalty, for Wood-Elves were considered Gods by the Indian Centaurs and had not been seen by them in close to a millennium.

The Centaurs requested Dobby to solve the long standing territorial dispute between the Himalayan Yeti and Phoenixes. The humans and the Elf relaxed in the Centaurian village while awaiting the Yeti and the Phoenix. Harry was surprised to hear that there were many Phoenixes in the world and that they were not as rare as considered by the western Wizarding world. By early evening, there was a small pop and a roguish looking man apparated into the center of the Centaur village. Harry was very surprised when the man transformed into a 20 foot Yeti.

"How... How did you do that?" Harry stammered.

The Yeti smiled at Harry showing his abnormally large and sharp teeth. That smile could have brought cold shivers to any lesser mortal. "Dath is a Yedi secred. Yedi dake a necdar given by Lord Shiva do become man."

"A nectar? You mean a potion? Can you give us a sample of the potion?" Harry knew that Daphne would be very interested in that. Unfortunately the Yeti denied his request. "No can give! Yedi secret." Harry nodded his head in understanding and was amazed at Lord Shiva's potion skills. It was almost like a human was an Animagus form of a Yeti. That helped in easier blending of Yeti in Indian society and transportation through human means such as floo and apparition. Harry guessed that apparating was impossible for larger magical beings such as trolls and giants. For that matter, Harry could not recall ever seeing Hagrid apparate. He had always used a portkey.

While they were waiting, there was a flash of fire and a Phoenix appeared in the clearing. As soon as the Phoenix saw Harry, she trilled a welcoming note. "Hello young wizard! My name is Agni. Thank you for accepting my egg given to your mate. I see that you take good care of her."

Harry was surprised when the Phoenix talked to him. "Hello Agni! My name is Harry Potter. It is a pleasure to meet the mother of my familiar. I promise to take good care of her even after she hatches."

Mr. Patil and the Centaurs were shocked when Harry spoke to the Phoenix. "You understand the Phoenix?" Mr. Patil said more as an exclamation than a question.

"I have no idea why I understand Agni, the Phoenix. It could be because I was recently given a Phoenix egg which would hatch to become my third familiar." Harry confessed.

The Phoenix trilled a laugh. "That is a half-truth, young wizard. You know that you understand me because of your other form. But I can understand why you do not want to advertise that."

Mr. Patil put a hand on Harry shoulder to show his support. "Harry, according to our beliefs, there are three main Gods, our Holy Trinity. Lord Bramha, the creator, had a Phoenix familiar and could speak to Phoenixes. Lord Shiva, the destroyer, had a snake familiar and was a Parselmouth. No one knows what Lord Vishnu, the protector's familiar was, but he had 10 incarnations. Some say that he had a chameleon lizard familiar and hence can change his appearance at will. I know you are a Parselmouth, you can talk to Phoenixes and I also see a chameleon aura in you. You are destined to become a great wizard or a God!" Mr. Patil prostrated himself before Harry as did all the Centaurs, Yeti and the Phoenix. This was a traditional Indian way of swearing a fealty oath.

Harry was very surprised by this gesture. He thanked everyone for showing him the respect and confessed that he was a Phoenix Animagus and a Metamorphomagus. He told them that he really wanted to have a simple normal life but his wish never came true. Dobby sniggered at that sentence. Harry glared at him, but internally he was happy that Dobby now acted very differently from how he acted as a house-Elf.

"So what is the reason for the territorial dispute between the Yeti and Phoenixes?" Harry inquired.

"Young wizard, for the last 40 years, the Yeti have been encroaching onto our valleys. The Yeti are very noisy and their presence disrupts the peace of our land." The Phoenix trilled.

"And how come this dispute has not been solved for 40 years?" Harry asked.

The Centaurian chief stepped forward with the answer. "Young wizard, none of us can understand or talk to the Phoenix. This is the longest standing dispute ever in this land. I am very glad that we will be able to solve it now."

Harry nodded and asked the yeti. "Would you be more comfortable talking in your human form?" The Yeti nodded and transformed into a human. "So, why are the Yeti encroaching onto the Phoenix lands?" Harry asked.

"The Yeti are sorry to have disrupted the peace of the Phoenix lands. But Yeti can no longer live on top of the mountains. That is why we are migrating to the valleys."

"And why is it that you are no longer able to live on top of the mountains?" Harry asked.

"It started after the traitor Sha'kala who morphed into a Sherpa and showed the human how to climb to the top of our mountain. Humans call our mountain, Mount Everest. Since then many humans have tried to climb it and most of them have lost their lives. They have converted our beloved mountain into a frozen human graveyard and a garbage dump. Tell me young wizard, will you be able to live in a graveyard littered with frozen bodies and a garbage dump?" The Yeti asked.

"So am I to understand that Yeti have moved to the valleys to avoid the humans and to move away from the graveyard and garbage dump?" Harry asked to confirm and the Yeti nodded.

Harry pondered on the problem. "Hmm... If I were to arrange a way that would decrease the number of humans trying to scale the mountain and arrange a method to remove the garbage and the frozen bodies, will the Yeti consider moving back?"

"You can do that?" The Yeti asked in amazement.

"I can try! Humans will not be able to dig out all the bodies and collect all the garbage. Human bodies are not made for the cold, unlike Yetis. So I will try to increase the awareness among wannabe climbers that they should bring back everything they take up the mountain. We will add a strong compulsion to enforce this. However, to remove the existing junk and bodies, we will need the Yeti's help. I will give you multiple portkeys that you can drop on a body and it will be transported to one of our facilities where they will either be delivered to closest relatives or disposed off. We will give you big bags in which you could collect all the junk and portkey to our facilities for recycling. I know I am asking Yeti to do a lot of work, but will this work for you?"

"As long as the humans do not add more garbage to our mountain, we will be ok with this arrangement." The Yeti replied. "We will however need at least a year's time before we can move back."

"We have waited for so many years, we can wait for another year. Thank you young wizard." The Phoenix trilled.

"Thank you Agni!" Harry bowed to the Phoenix. "The arrangement is agreeable to the Phoenixes, Yeti. I will get in touch with you as soon as I make the arrangements."

Mr. Patil volunteered to help out. "Harry, I can arrange for the Indian and Nepali governments to reduce the number of passes available to scale the mountains. I can also get a wizard stationed at base camp who will do the compulsions. It is the least I can do."

"Thank you Mr. Patil. Please let me know your expenses and they will all be reimbursed. Agni, could you fire-transport me to your valley so that I know where to meet the Yeti?" The Phoenix trilled a positive note. "Yeti, I will meet you in a couple of weeks." Yeti nodded his head and disappeared with a small pop.

"If that is all gentlemen and ladies, I take your leave. Mr. Patil, thank you for bringing me here. It has been a pleasure to meet the Centaurs. Dobby, could you finish the portal and then join me at the Patil residence?" Dobby nodded.

"Agni, there must be at least a thousand Phoenixes here!" Harry exclaimed as soon as the reached Phoenix land. Agni laughed and said, "And your point is, young wizard?"

"Well! If Phoenixes are immortal and there are a thousand of them here and I see a lot of nests, I wonder how you keep the population under control? Why are Phoenixes not commonly found in the human world?"

Agni laughed even harder. "Young wizard, all Phoenixes are not immortal. We do have all other magical properties of the Phoenixes you studied about. Only those Phoenixes that bond with a wizard before they are hatched gain the ability to draw magic from wizards to prolong their life. It is not true immortality."

"So that is how Fawkes has lived so long!" Harry mumbled.

"Who is Fawkes young wizard? Is it a Phoenix?" Agni asked confused.

"Yes Agni. Fawkes is a Phoenix and it is our headmaster's familiar. It is rumored that he was given as an egg to Merlin, but no one knows for sure. How is it that you do not know of him?"

"I am not sure young wizard. We have never seen him here. It is possible that he does not know of our lands. Poor Fawkes, he must have been very lonely all these years. Could you bring him along the next time you come here?"

"Sure I will." Harry's interest was piqued by the sheer number of Phoenixes there. "Agni, does that mean that all these Phoenixes can shed tears that have healing properties? How about magic in their feathers as magical foci?"

"Yes, young wizard. We all have healing tears. Our feathers may be used as magical foci, but they wont be as strong as a feather from a Phoenix that has bonded to a wizard as an egg. I know our egg shells have healing properties too and we have been collecting them for years as a tradition. Our songs speak of a wizard a long time ago who did the Phoenixes a great service and in return we promised to deposit our eggs in a cave. We have not seen the wizard in many centuries now. Would you like to look at the cave and take the shells?"

Harry was gob-smacked by that offer. "That would be awesome Agni! Would the Phoenixes here be willing to donate a few tears and feathers too? If so, I will find a way we can collect them."

"That should not be a problem young wizard. After all tears are tears. Just a replenishable product of our bodies."

Harry laughed out loud. "You wont believe how precious those tears are in the Wizarding community and you talk about it as if it is like urine."

"Believe me young wizard, it is! We Phoenixes always make fun of Humans for that." Agni trilled in laughter.

"Why are there so few Phoenixes who bond with Wizards?" Harry inquired.

"There are very few wizards who have Phoenix forms. Only those who have Phoenix forms can bond with Phoenixes as eggs. Once their master dies, such Phoenixes usually bond with wizards who are powerful and pure of heart. The wizard Flamel has bonded with many Phoenixes because the mother Phoenix readily donated all her eggs to him."

Harry was surprised to hear about Nicholas Flamel. "So you are saying that I can bond with more Phoenix eggs if the mother Phoenixes donates their eggs? Did you know that my four wives have the potential to become Phoenix Animagi too?"

Now it was the Phoenix's turn to be surprised. "Is that so? Could you come here with each of your mates as soon as they get their Phoenix form? I am sure some of the mother Phoenixes would be ready to donate their eggs."

"Thank you Agni! Would you be a dear and fire-transport me to the Patil residence?"

The next three days were spent with the witches. Harry had to drag Daphne out of the potions lab. She promised Dadi Patil that she would visit her at least once a month. Thanks to Goblin portkeys, the Hogwarts group including the Patil twins visited the pink palaces of Jaipur, the Taj Mahal at Agra, Red Fort and Lotus Temple at Delhi, the infamous Kaala Paani Jail in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and landed in Goa for the final day of their vacation and some serious sun tanning. Tonks and Charlie were supposed to meet them in the evening at their private cottage in South Goa.

Harry finished his breakfast and changed into shorts and a T-shirt to relax in the tropical sun. Dobby had earlier helped Harry erect privacy barriers to keep out curious onlookers. Harry propped himself up on a lounge chair and settled down with one of the graphic novels from his mother's trunk on 'Ancient Indian Wizarding Folk Tales'. Harry had never read a children's book before and he realized that he loved reading these bedtime stories. The Jungle book and Panchatantra were his favorites.

Harry heard someone call his name and he stood up to investigate. What he found left him dumb founded. There were six visions of beauty walking towards him in the sexiest two-piece bikinis he had ever seen. Harry could not help but be transfixed and stare at them. Hermione wore a red polka-dotted bikini and looked gorgeous. Harry was glad to see that there was no scarring left on her body due to her injuries from the battle at the Ministry.

Harry's eyes moved to the Patil twins and they wore identical green bikinis. Harry could have sworn that like the Weasley twins, they too had a 'twin-act'. It was unsettling to see both the twins giggle and bounce. This behavior increased as Harry flushed seeing them bounce. He could have expected Parvati to act this way, but it was surprising to watch Padma act the same way too. Harry observed that there was absolutely no difference physically between the two twins. Harry was mesmerized by their beautiful olive skin which had absolutely no blemishes.

Harry then moved to stare at Daphne who was wearing the tiniest bikini he had ever seen. Harry wondered if the total area of her bikini was less than 10X10 centimeters. She wore a silver colored bikini that covered only her naughty bits and Harry guessed that she has used sticky charms to ensure that the bikini did not slip.

Harry's jaw dropped when he saw Luna. She was either wearing a perfectly matched skin tone colored bikini or nothing at all. Harry could see the obscuration charms the she had used to cover up strategic areas of her body. Harry remembered Luna's comment from the morning after the soul-bonding ritual, _'I sleep in the nude'_ and Harry definitely believed that she was not kidding.

Not wanting to be caught staring at Luna, Harry forcefully turned towards Susan, _'Thank Heavens! She is wearing a normal brown bikini.'_ Seeing the relief on Harry's face, Susan did not want to miss out on embarrassing Harry Potter. "Harry, check this out. Thanks to the geniuses in this group, aka Hermione and Padma, We have a tan-line free bikini." She removed the shoulder straps of her bikini and moved her bikini bottom downwards to demonstrate the absence of tan lines. "Susan! STOP!" shouted a flustered Harry. All the witches burst out laughing and walked towards Harry.

Harry watched the witches move towards him flirtily and realized that he was drawn towards their beauty. He would do anything for them. He wanted to be their love slave. _'Wait a minute! That doesn't sound right!'_ Harry snapped his head towards Daphne for confirmation.

"Only you Harry! You are strong enough to resist the Veela allure from 6 witches! Only you!" Daphne pouted cutely while the other witches tsked in mock exasperation. Harry's face brightened and asked Daphne, "So you were able to use your early birthday present?"

"My birthday is more than a week away Harry! And you gave me the Arithmantic formula for the Veela charms last week. You did not expect me to not open my advance birthday present until my birthday, did you?" Daphne swatted him on his forearm.

"Presenting to you 'Veela Allure Sunscreen' Lotion!" The Patil twins struck a pose and held a bottle in their hands just like those gorgeous women on Television who sell beauty products. Harry laughed at the twins' antics and clapped his hands in appreciation. "How did you geniuses come up with tan-line less bikinis?" Harry asked Hermione and Padma, or whoever he assumed was Padma.

"She is Padma, Harry", one of the twins pointed at the other. Harry mumbled his apologies and looked at the other twin.

"Sorry Harry! I am Parvati. She is actually Padma!" The witches burst out laughing.

Harry groaned. "What is this? A female reincarnation of the Weasley twins?" The witches continued laughing.

Hermione explained that the bikinis had an enchantment on them that triggered a Zero Sun Protection Factor (SPF) invisibility charm on the bikinis while simultaneously triggering a glamour in the exact form and shape as the bikini. "Viola! You can have the cake and eat it too."

"So what triggers these charms? Sunlight?" Harry was curious now.

"Let us demonstrate on our gorgeous bodies," Parvati said sultrily. Parvati and Padma moved in front of Harry, the former pointing to something on her bikini top between her breasts and the latter pointing to a pattern on her bikini bottom right below her navel. "These are the trigger runes." They enjoyed making Harry uncomfortable and making him blush.

"You know what? I have a wonderful idea! Parvati and Padma turn around!" The Patil twins followed his instructions. Harry whipped out his wand and transfigured the bikinis of his wives into similar green ones as the Patil twins, in case of Luna, he conjured a bikini. Harry made eye-contact with his wives and they all knew what Harry had planned. When the Patil twins turned around, they found 5 women clad in green bikinis who looked exactly like them. Both of them were so shocked that they fell back on the sand in disbelief. "How?"

One of the twin look alikes bounced and giggled just like the twins did earlier and soon the rest of them joined in. "It is easy to spot Harry because he does not have the Veela Allure Lotion on his body," Padma reasoned. "Excellent Padma!" Harry-twin clapped. "What do you say ladies? Shall we tell them our secret?" Harry-twin asked in a conspiratorial manner reminiscent of Parvati's gossiping ways.

"We sure should Harry! But they will have to give us a witches oath to keep our secrets," Hermione-twin commented.

Before the original Patil twins could respond, Luna-twin said in her classic dreamy voice. "I love this body. The skin is so flawless." This brought about a fresh round of laughter which was joined in by the original Patil twins.

Susan-twin challenged Harry-twin. "Harry, I challenge you to stay as you are now until dinner time. Are you man enough to be a woman for a few hours?" Harry accepted and counter challenged that if he succeeded then, one of the witches must either morph or Polyjuice as Harry and spend the night in the Gryffindor dorms.

"But Harry, Polyjuice only lasts for a couple of hours," Padma complained. "And it tastes horrible!" Parvati exclaimed.

"And when did you try Polyjuice, my dear twin?" Padma asked.

Parvati flushed and confessed, "Lavender and I were experimenting with it."

Not wanting to know who Parvati Polyjuiced as during their experimentation, Harry decided that they needed a diversion. "Thanks to our resident potions genius, you wont have to take the Polyjuice potion every 2 hours!" Harry proclaimed and the original Patil twins' jaws hit the floor. Parvati and Padma were too curious to not know their secrets, and they gave their witches oaths immediately. Harry and his witches then took turns to tell their story while others laid back and enjoyed the sun.

"Incredible! So you four are soul-bonded to Harry. You love him, but you are not in love with him. How does that work?" Padma asked confused.

Hermione-twin explained, "Ours is not a traditional soul bonding, which occurs between two people who are deeply in love with each other. Our bond was created to help eject Riddle's soul piece. We all love Harry very dearly, but we haven't done anything physical other than cuddling and kissing to satisfy the emotional requirements of the bonds. We do not crave, umm.. let me correct myself, Harry does not crave for physical intimacy with us. Not that he is gay, but he is just too strong willed. When Harry reaches his Seventeenth birthday or when his magic core settles, we will evaluate our relationships. Harry is very adamant about this fact."

"I thought those kind of bonds cannot be broken!" Parvati commented.

"Traditional soul bonds cannot be broken. There is a possibility that ours can be broken. It may require a sacrifice of life years and some magic, but it can be done. It is too early to say if we witches are going to opt for termination of our bond. So right now, we live in the present and we accept that we are Harry's wives."

"What happens if you like someone else? Or if Harry falls in love with someone else?" Padma enquired.

Hermione-twin explained. "Take Daphne for example. Harry has given her his permission to continue her relationship with Tracey. But it looks like Tracey might soon start a relationship with Neville, thanks to Daphne's encouragement. You have to understand that Daphne was under chastity charms before that were undone due to our soul-bonding. If Harry falls in love with someone else, we are all okay with it. In fact, we have sworn an oath to never be jealous of the one who Harry showers his affection on. But then Harry is Harry! And till date, he has taken care of all of us very well and has never shown any partiality." Harry-twin blushed at the praise.

"So it is okay if I hit on Harry!" Parvati giggled while Harry-twin groaned. This lead to more laughter. The seven look-alikes spent their time having fun and enjoying themselves.

Late evening, Charlie and Tonks joined them and brought with them bottles of fire-whiskey, muggle Rum, Russian Vodka and the Goan specialty, Fenny. When they were surprised seeing seven look alikes, Harry explained that they had taken Polyjuice as a dare. It is never a good idea to mix different types of liquor and the assembled group learned that first hand. They soon crashed into an alcohol induced sleep after their dinner. Dobby transported Charlie and Tonks into a bedroom of the cabin and the seven lookalikes into another one after expanding the bed.

Harry woke up to a sound that his hungover mind could only describe as angels giggling. He realized that he had reverted back to his body sometime during his sleep and his bikini transfigurations had undone themselves. There were occasional flashes of light and he tried to will his eyelids to open in vain. His head hurt so much that he felt as if a herd of Hippogriffs, Unicorns and Centaurs were running around having a speed racing competition. Slowly sensations started returning back to him and he realized that he had two warm bodies, one spooned into him in front and another in a similar position at the back. His right hand was under the one in front and gripped her waist. His left hand was around her chest and cupping her right breast. Harry loved the smell of her hair and leaned a little forward to kiss the nape of her neck which elicited a moan in pleasure. There was that giggle and flash again and he wondered what was going on.

As more sensations came back to him, he realized that the body behind him was flush with his backside. There was a hand that had snaked under him and was holding onto his chest. The other hand, Harry slowly realized and panicked, was inside his boxers! As Harry's intoxicated mind tried to reason if this was a good thing or not, he heard a loud voice say, "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?"

Harry got up so fast the witch in front of him was forcibly rolled away from him and she fell on the floor and cursed for a few minutes in a very colorful language. The witch behind him had her hand so forcibly removed out of his boxers that she held her left wrist and cried out in pain. Harry forced his eyes to open to find an amused Charlie and Tonks beaming at them. Susan was busy taking photographs while the other witches snickered and giggled. The pounding in his head became worse as Harry realized that Charlie had shouted deliberately to startle him. He collapsed on the bed, held his head in his hands and groaned. Parvati in the meantime sat up and whacked him on his head with her good hand and yelled, "What the hell did you do to hurt my hand, Harry?"

Harry sheepishly mumbled, "You had your hand in my boxers and I was startled out of my sleep by the great dragon master here", and flushed. The Indian witch blushed a Weasley red and cried out that her head hurt. The other twin climbed onto the bed groggily still cursing that she was rudely woken up from a very pleasant dream and position in bed. The rest of the people in the room giggled more and Susan continued taking more pictures. Hermione took pity on the trio and gave them the modified hangover potions. Daphne give Parvati a pain potion and immobilized her hand so that it could heal naturally.

"Susan, give me the camera!" Harry ordered and Susan took off singing and mocking Harry, "Na Na Na Na Na, Na Na Na Na Na". Harry tried to run behind her but she was too fast for him and he was still very groggy.

"I am never going to drink again! The hang over is not worth it!" Harry declared and the others in the room snickered.

Harry, Charlie and the witches had a leisurely breakfast and lunch before taking the portkey back to the Den, Privet Drive, Surrey. Aurora had decided to spend an extra week with Raj roaming around the country before returning home by muggle airplane. The Patil twins took the portkey to their home, while Charlie apparated to the Burrow and had the shock of his life. Tonks decided to catch a nap and mumbled an excuse that she was up all night while the others were drunk. She never really answered as to why she was up all night. Harry and the witches caught up on recent events by reading the High Inquisitor.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20: The Theater Is Set**

Albus Dumbledore was a very troubled man. He paced at the head of the table in the meeting room of the Order of the Phoenix. Too many things have been going on lately and he was surprised that he had been caught unawares. He could not help but wonder if there was an invisible puppeteer pulling all the strings, but soon discarded the idea. Albus Dumbledore never realized how close he had come to the truth. He looked around the room to see most of the witches and wizards gathered there discussing the latest events in hushed tones.

"Can someone recap the series of events that took place this week?" It was more of an order than a request.

When nobody volunteered, Alastor Moody cleared his throat and spoke. "Last week, the High Inquisitor ran a series of articles on Hogwarts finances that effectively terminated half the board members and teaching faculty. The newer board members are more amenable to suggestions from us, but they are not our blind followers. The High Inquisitor took potshots at not only the Headmaster and the board members, but also the Minister of Magic and Dolores Umbridge, who was subsequently arrested."

"While this was going on Lord Voldemort," he paused to wait for the shuddering in the room to subside, "ordered attacks on thirteen houses of Potter's friends. Interestingly, all those houses had very strong intent wards and a very unique portkey ward which transported the death eaters to the DMLE after putting them in a magical coma. How these muggleborn houses, many of them in muggle areas, were warded with such strong wards, no one knows. They could not talk about them and Legilimency did not work on them, even though some of them were muggles. Bill Weasley has been to more than 60 houses till date and has found similar wards around everyone of them. These wards must have cost a fortune and we are not sure if many of them could have afforded it. Mr. Creevey Senior, for example, works as a milkman, that is, he delivers milk to various muggle homes. He definitely could not have afforded the 70,000 plus Galleons it would have cost to have these wards erected."

"Snape reported that Voldemort," there was more shuddering in the room, "was unhappy about the failed mission. He swore a retaliatory attack on Diagon Alley which Snape informed us about. As we were not sure of the date of the attack, we adopted a wait and watch approach. The order and the Aurors, who were tipped off by us, were on alert for the first sign of trouble."

Moody took a deep breath before continuing his narration. "Three days ago, twenty five death eaters attacked Diagon Alley at 5 PM, the busiest time of the day. By the time the Aurors and Order members apparated to the Alley, we saw that most of the Alley had been destroyed. Every shop and building was in shambles except Gringotts. The attack was localized to Diagon Alley and did not extend to Knockturn Alley. The Order and the Aurors fought with the Death Eaters and managed to apprehend 4 of them. We lost an Auror and several order members were injured and subsequently treated."

"After the battle, we looked around for survivors and to our surprise, did not find anyone. There was absolutely nobody in Diagon Alley and there were no dead bodies. Initially we wondered if the Death Eaters had captured all the shop keepers and shoppers, but we discarded that idea after we interrogated the captured Death Eaters. They claimed that as soon as the Death Eaters entered the Alley, everyone had mysteriously disappeared. We have been searching for these people and could not find them."

"We received our first break from a suggestion in the High Inquisitor. They reported that if we track where Underage magic was being performed, we might be able to find the missing people. The rationale being that, most of those who disappeared had at least one child with them. True enough, as soon as we tracked the underage magic usage, we found the 124 missing people in the abandoned grounds where the Quidditch World Cup was held two years ago. None of them wanted to risk an apparition, not knowing where they were. None of them could perform the Patronus charm to send a message. They told us that they were portkeyed as soon as the Death Eaters entered the Alley. We scanned them for portkeys and did not find any on them."

"Voldemort," there was another round of shuddering in the room, "had ordered an attack of Azkaban at the same time as the attack on Diagon Alley. The outcome of that attack was worse for us, with us losing 5 Aurors. Sixty-five Death Eaters and 28 inmates were liberated in the jail break. The other 13 inmates who refused to join the death eaters were kissed by the Dementors. The 200 plus Dementors who were guarding the prison have abandoned their posts and joined the dark forces."

"The Minister tried to hush up the debacle as usual, but once again the High Inquisitor published details of the attack that only the Aurors knew about. The Minister is in political hot soup and is facing a No Confidence Motion. The newspaper in the meantime has published report after report showing Fudge's misdeeds. The most damning of them are Fudge's refusal to accept the Dark Lord's return, refusal to give Sirius Black a fair trial, Umbridge's tenure at Hogwarts and accepting bribes from Lucius Malfoy. How the High Inquisitor got access to Gringotts bank records is a mystery. I would not be surprised if the Goblins themselves presented the damning evidence."

"Snape reported that Voldemort tortured the death eaters for destroying Diagon Alley. His instructions to those death eaters had been to cause mayhem as a distraction for at least 20 minutes before portkeying out. The disappearance of the shopkeepers and the public caused the death eaters confusion and they interpreted destroying the shops as causing mayhem."

Moody paused to take a swig from his hip-flask. "Yesterday, after the shop keepers returned to find their shops completely destroyed, the High Inquisitor ran an article about a new shopping alley called 'Magic Alley' which is to open the day after tomorrow. The advertisement in the newspaper claimed that the Alley was as protected as Hogwarts and St. Mungos and was definitely better protected than the Ministry and Diagon Alley. Most of the shop keepers were depressed to hear the news that would further ruin their businesses. However, Steven Rothschild, the owner of _Trunks and More_, told me in confidence that he and some other shop keepers had been approached to move their business to Magic Alley. He refused to give me more information except that only those shop keepers who did not give their allegiance to the Dark, the Ministry and the so-called Light were approached."

Moody waited for everyone present to process this new information that he had given them before he continued with his summation. "Our Minister in all his stupidity tried to portray Magic Alley as an illegal Alley similar to Knockturn Alley and promised to send Aurors to 'check out' this place. I guess he was caught unawares as we were when a whole Alley suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Madam Bones recalled me into Auror service yesterday now that I have both my legs and sent me along with a group of Aurors and warding specialists to check out the Magic Alley."

Moody took another swig from his hip-flask and savored the looks of anticipation on his audience. "Albus, I cannot tell you everything I wrote in my report as my Auror Oaths of Secrecy supersede the ones I took for the Order. But what I saw wowed me. We flooed to 'Magic Alley' and found ourselves in a very huge 20-feet high ceiling room that can easily hold at least a hundred people. On the wall opposite the entrance to the Alley, there were 10 fireplaces connected to the floo network. Five of those floos were in-operational and there were shutters on the fireplaces covering them. Whoever would have thought of physical barriers to shut off the floos, ingenious, I would say."

"On either wall adjacent to the fireplaces, there were 5 security desks for possibly 10 security personnel. In between each fireplace, there were what I can describe as a disillusioned Auror-grade practice dummies. These proved to be the first line of defense. A warding specialist cast a simple ward revealing charm to study the wards in that area. He was promptly stunned by one of the dummies. All fireplaces and the entrance to the Alley automatically got shut off by wards and physical barriers. Anti-apparition and anti-portkey wards got engaged on that room and we were effectively trapped. The room got flooded with an invisible gas that knocked us all out."

Everyone in the room gaped at the veteran Auror with open mouths. "We were ennervated by an American wizard who introduced himself as Max Rutherford. He told us that he was the owner of the construction and warding company which was tasked to build the Alley. He informed us that we received 'minimum punishment' from the wards as we did not cast a lethal spell and did not have any harmful intent. I wondered what maximum punishment of the wards would be. I asked him about the strange runes on the floor of the room and Max just smiled at me. After receiving a warning from him not to poke our noses into things that did not concern us, he allowed us into the Alley."

There was pin-drop silence in the room. Everyone waited in anticipation to hear a firsthand report of what the Alley looked like. "As soon as we entered the Alley, we gawked at the scenes we saw just like how the eleven year old muggleborns behave when they visit Diagon Alley for the first time. There were close to a hundred shops and they are huge, even without magical expansion. The whole Alley has the look and feel of a high-end muggle shopping mall. The Alley is about 40 feet wide with stores on either side and is covered by a 50 foot tall ceiling made of transparent glass. The metal grids in the ceiling was the only indication that there was a ceiling. The Alley is temperature controlled and brightly lit with Muggle lights fueled by Magic. All shops have similar lighting and beautifully crafted displays and name boards which are lit by background lighting."

"The regular shops that students visit such as, wand shop, apothecary, book store, robes shop etc were scattered by design so that there could be easier crowd control. There are many restaurants, bars and a couple of night clubs there too. There were three ice cream parlors with lots of space for customers to sit down and enjoy a break. There was a huge store, the '_21__st__ Century_' store that had displays of the Lightning brooms and some muggle electronics. There was also a building similar to Gringotts at the other end of the Alley. Max told us that there were plans for at least 2 hotels, a Quidditch stadium, a muggle gym with a huge swimming pool which would be completed in a couple of weeks. I was very impressed with the security of the place. Did I forget to mention the disillusioned dummies in the Alley at strategic locations? Though I wondered how they could charm the dummies to act so intelligently. If death eaters attack this new Alley, they will be in for the surprise of their lives."

"Thank you Alastor for your succinct report." Dumbledore stood up from his chair and resumed his pacing. "As you can see, clearly things have been happening behind our backs. First, the High Inquisitor seems to know things even before we do. The newspaper seems to have spies/informants at the Aurors office, Gringotts and probably even at Hogwarts. How else can one explain how they know so much? But they are very clever in covering their sources by quoting only publicly available information."

"How do we explain how they knew where to look for Hogwarts' budget and expenditure reports? We still can't explain how they knew so much about Sirius Black. How did they get the idea of looking into Underage Magic notices to trace the missing people? In spite of my best efforts, I have not been able to find out who works for the newspaper. The only public face we know is that of Mrs. Longbottom and there is no way anyone can 'handle' her."

Dumbledore continued his rant. "How did all the students' houses get warded? Is Max Rutherford, the American wizard, responsible for warding all the houses that were attacked? If so, how did he know which students to contact? How long has he been in business without our knowledge? What is his allegiance? Is he the one who built the beautiful Weasley Manor? Where did the Weasleys get the money to pay for it?" Dumbledore looked at Mrs. Weasley pointedly and was surprised to see that he could not read her thoughts. He had a very nauseous reaction as soon as he tried to enter her mind. She seemed to have learnt a way to block his Legilimency attempts.

Mr. Weasley cleared his throat and answered the Headmaster's question. "We can't tell you anything about our deal. We signed a secrecy oath that we won't reveal any information. However, I can tell you that your suspicions are in the right direction."

"Very well!" Dumbledore sighed and continued pacing, "I can't help but suspect that there is a force behind all these events. It cannot be Lord Voldemort as most of the newspaper reports seem to have affected him adversely. The new businesses at Magic Alley seem to be the reason for the Goblins to have been excited. They have been neutral in the first war and I don't expect them to take sides. Issuing those money pouches to everyone seems have been an excellent idea, now that we know that there will hardly be anyone visiting Diagon Alley. They must have expected Tom and the death eaters to make such a move."

"It cannot be one of us, as we too have had to face the public heat when the financial scandals were exposed. I don't see others who are not in the Order to have that kind of influence or money to do all this." Dumbledore paused while he gathered his thoughts. "It cannot be anyone in the Ministry. Only Lucius Malfoy has the influence and money to have pulled off such tactical measures. It sure cannot be the muggleborns. They hardly know enough about our world and P.O.M.S. seems to be just a random thing. Does anyone have any ideas as to who is behind all this?" Dumbledore stopped pacing and made eye-contact with several members of the Order of the Phoenix who were gathered in the room.

"The only public figures we know are Max Rutherford and Augusta Longbottom." Kingsley Shacklebolt spoke up. "And don't forget that potions company headed by Andromeda Tonks. Makes me wonder if there is any link. I have tried to look Rutherford up using my connections in the United States and found him to be a genuine person. He moved back to England to start a new life after he lost his family in a werewolf attack, which brings me to an interesting point. I was also one of the Aurors who visited Magic Alley along with Moody. I agree with Moody's report that the Alley is awesome. I expect everyone in the United Kingdom or even the world to come and shop there."

"But what was surprising was seeing two offices in the Alley, '_Elf Life Foundation_' and '_Welfare of Lycanthropes Foundation_'. Both E.L.F. and W.O.L.F. offices were not operational yet, but I sneaked a peak in there and found a lot of brochures dispelling many myths about the two species. What caught my eye was that W.O.L.F. offered to provide free modified-Wolfsbane potion to every werewolf on the island and the continent. They also claimed that they were involved in research to cure, I repeat cure, not control Lycanthropy and were hopeful to have it ready in the next six months. The office also provided an employment center for the werewolves. In fact, the security booths at the entrance of the Alley are to be manned by werewolves and Veela, two groups that generally do not get along well. Makes me wonder if we lost Lupin and Delacour to this invisible fourth power, if we consider the Dark, the Light and the Ministry as the three powers."

This sparked a lot of whispers in the room. They were surprised to see that W.O.L.F. was able to give the werewolves two things that everyone promised them: free Wolfsbane and employment. "The Dark, the Light and the Ministry... Isn't it the same phrase the Trunk guy used?" Someone enquired. "Does that confirm a fourth front in this war?"

"Alas! We do not know that yet. Just some suspicions." Albus Dumbledore sighed. "Severus, do you have anything to report?"

The potions master cleared his throat and said, "The Dark Lord has been ruminating in his chamber a lot these days. He did call specific death eaters into his chamber for private questioning and possible Legilimency. I was not called for such a meeting, so I can't tell you more. None of the death eaters mentioned any of this, but I think that the Dark Lord has his suspicions too." Severus Snape looked at Auror Shacklebolt and asked, "Do you know who is brewing the Wolfsbane potion on such a large scale? It must be terribly expensive."

Shacklebolt smirked and said, "Three guesses as to who it is. Actually after hearing all this, just one would do. It is the Pleasant Potions Inc. that is supplying the Wolfsbane potion. Apparently they have modified the Wolfsbane to taste much better than traditional recipe and have found a cheaper source of Monkswood, the most expensive ingredient in the potion."

Severus sputtered and said, "That is impossible! You have to collect the Monkswood or Wolfsbane flowers during the full moon and they only grow in areas where werewolves are abundant. These plants need the urine of transformed werewolf as an essential nutrient to thrive and for the flowers to bloom. That is the reason why it is almost impossible to harvest these flowers. Unless someone has a transformed werewolf urine collection system, these flowers cannot be grown in a greenhouse. There is something fishy about this potions company. How can they brew such complicated potions consistently on a large scale like that? Pity the Metamorphomagus left us."

"And that adds another thing to our list, Tonks leaving us", Kingsley said solemnly.

"Speaking of Pleasant Potions Inc., I was able to acquire tomorrow's edition of the High Inquisitor. I was curious about tomorrow's headlines after seeing today's about the Dementors defecting to the Dark Side. Imagine my surprise when I read about the Pleasant Potions Inc. advertising to sell '_Joy Juice_', a potion that will induce happy thoughts into the mind of the person who drinks the potion. The potion is sold at 1 sickle a dose, or in the case of werewolves 29 knuts a dose." Albus laughed at the joke because 29 knuts were equivalent to one sickle.

Albus became more serious and read from the newspaper, "The potion knocks the drinker out for about an hour when consumed for the first time. This potion helps to catalog all the happy memories in the mind. It even works on muggles and squibs. The next time a Dementor attacks, another dose of the potion will save the person from the vile beings for an hour by reminding the drinker of only happy memories."

"The company claims to have done research among members of the Dumbledore's Army (DA), a study group lead by Harry Potter last year, and they were able to produce corporeal Patroni easily after the second dose of the potion. '_More than 90% of the 50 DA members who could not produce a Patronus earlier were able to produce a corporeal one after the second dose. We can also partially attribute this success to the five one-hour classes that Mr. Potter taught these students about the Patronus charm. We were very surprised that 7 members of Mr. Potter's class could already produce a corporeal Patronus before we approached them. Mr. Potter must be some teacher to achieve what others could not in the past._' A company spokesperson commented."

The twinkle in Albus eyes increased. "I have received 100 doses of this potion for the Order, as did Amelia for the Aurors. Again, makes me wonder how the company knew about the Order. I want everyone to take this potion after the meeting today and learn the Patronus charm. The potions company wanted us to ratify the efficacy of their potion before the High Inquisitor went out tomorrow. And Molly, can you guess the inventors of this potion?" Mrs. Weasley looked confusedly at the Headmaster. "It is your twins! They are selling this potion at the Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes starting tomorrow."

Molly was torn between being elated and angry at the twins. They had collectively got 3 OWLs in Potions, Herbology and Charms. They refused to take their NEWTs. The potions master gaped at Albus Dumbledore as if he had grown a pair of horns. "It is true Severus, they did invent the potion. Mrs. Tonks has nominated them for the Golden Cauldron Award and if this works, I will be nominating them for the Order of the Merlin. It makes me wonder if we were too hasty in not accepting the twins' application to join the Order."

"Professor, it actually makes me wonder as to why they withdrew. It all sounds very fishy, yet we can draw the connections between various parties."

Almost dramatically, Albus became more serious, "Yes, I agree. We have a few graver things to discuss. In tomorrow's High Inquisitor, they are publishing an interview with Minister Fudge to coincide with the no confidence motion. In a desperate attempt to hold onto his seat, Fudge has revealed the presence of a prophesy linking Harry Potter and the Dark Lord. He has referred to Harry as '_The Chosen One_'. He claimed that if he is allowed to continue being the minister, he will put all his effort to bring an early end to the war by getting Harry Potter to work closely with him and fight the Dark Lord." Dumbledore shook his head sadly.

"Today, I am going to reveal a part of the prophecy about Harry that is known to Lord Voldemort. Harry was prophesized to have the power to vanquish the Dark Lord, though we do not know what the power is. Voldemort will not rest till Harry is killed and that is why it is important that we protect Harry." There was immediate chaos in the room. "_The poor dear..._" "_Another attempt at seeking attention by the brat..._" "_I always knew there was something special about the boy..._"

Dumbledore called everyone to order and asked them if there were any reports about Harry. Everyone told him that Harry was keeping to his room, doing a few chores and studying. Minerva reported that Mr. Potter had surprisingly done extremely well in his Arithmancy and Ancient Runes OWLs. She also reported that Ms. Lovegood had finished her OWLs a year in advance as a home-tutored student and will be joining Hogwarts as a sixth year student this year.

"There is another thing I would want to report. Mr. Oliver Wood and Ms. Katie Bell approached Madam Hooch with a proposal from the company that they work for called the '_Quidditch Network_'. They wish to 'broadcast' Hogwarts' Quidditch games on their Quidditch Network. They explained that everyone would be able to view the games on a flat screen box called '_Wizion_'. They did not describe more about it and said that they could not as it was a company secret. They offer 25,000 Galleons to the Quidditch department at Hogwarts for rights to 'broadcast' old Quidditch matches and 250 Galleons for every new match to be played. They also offer 20 tickets and portkeys for 15 students and 5 faculty to watch every professional game played in the UK live. Madam Hooch is very excited about this offer and does not see any harm in accepting it. The Hogwarts Board will have the final say in this matter."

"Yet another interesting development we had no idea about," Kingsley remarked darkly.

Dumbledore nodded in agreement and asked for other reports. Mr. Diggle, the lawyer, raised his hand and spoke when acknowledged. "I talked to Amos Diggory yesterday to find out if he was considering running for the new Minister. During that meeting, he made a comment about there being a 75% drop in employment applications from fresh graduates this year. Apparently there were many more applications this year for Summer Internships and Apprenticeships from private companies and individuals which were approved. You all know that Internships and Apprenticeships come with a waiver for Underage magic use." Diggle paused.

"Is that how they got around the underage magic restriction to test the Joy Juice on students?" Kingsley enquired.

"Aren't you a smart one? Were you a Ravenclaw?" Shacklebolt nodded. "That makes sense. Yes, the majority of the Summer Internships were from the _Pleasant Potions Inc._ and a few from _'A New Company'_, _'21__st__ Century'_ and _Gringotts_. Obviously, I was not given access to the names of the students who were doing these summer internships. And you guessed right, Max Rutherford owns _'A New Company'_."

While everyone pondered this new information, Professor Flitwick asked, "Dedalius, did you find out about possible candidates for Minister?"

Mr. Diggle smiled and said, "Yes, there are five front runners among the crowd: Damian Nott, Amelia Bones, Amos Diggory, Albus Dumbledore and Arthur Weasley." The Weasley family was stunned by this news. Mr. Weasley told the crowd that he would respectfully decline in favor of Amelia Bones or Amos Diggory. Dumbledore mentioned a similar sentiment. "I have heard a rumor that possible candidates might have to answer a few questions under Veritaserum. So that might invalidate Mr. Nott's candidacy." Dumbledore commented. "Are there any other reports?"

Hagrid spoke up, "The forest is humming. There are a lot of new animals I saw: Abraxians, Kelpies, Kappas, a few Little Dragons too. It is probable that they moved here now that the Acromantula have disappeared."

"Thank you Hagrid. I will ask you to meet the Giants once more. I can make a portkey to save time. Will you be able to go next week?" Hagrid nodded and worried as to who would take care of his half-brother Gwarp. He decided to ask Charlie for a favor.

"If that is all, let us get on to learning the Patronus charm. Alastor, if you could vanish the table and expand this room?" Albus Dumbledore stood up from his chair and conjured multiple beds. Snape mumbled something about not taking potions he did not brew, walked out of the room and disapparated. Bill Weasley distributed one dose of the 'Joy Juice' to everyone. He floo called Weasley Manor and invited Ron and Ginny for the exercise.

"Ron and Ginny, I know you cannot talk about what you did during your DA meetings. But we are having a class on the Patronus Charm. Do you want to learn it?" Bill enquired.

Ginny smirked at Bill and asked, "What makes you think that we don't already know how to do it?" She whipped out her wand and shouted _Expecto Patronum_ to produce a fully corporeal Patronus in the shape of a medium sized jungle cat.

There were numerous exclamations of surprise at seeing the corporeal Patronus. "Ginevra Weasley! How dare you use magic during the summer without permission? Have you forgotten the restriction on Magic usage?" Mrs. Weasley was working up her anger at her youngest.

"MUM! Have you forgotten that this place is unplottable and under a Fidelius? Did you not know that most pureblood family homes are not monitored for Underage Magic?" Ginny cut off her mother before she went into a full-blown rant.

"Is that true Albus?" Mrs. Weasley spluttered.

"Unfortunately it is, Molly. However, I ask you children to not abuse this privilege. I give you permission to use magic while you are in this class." Ginny looked away from the headmaster and rolled her eyes. "Ronald, can you cast the Patronus charm?" Albus enquired.

Ron cast the charm and was able to produce a thick mist which almost had a definite shape. "I suggest that you both join this class too. Here is a potion that will help you. It will knock you out for an hour."

Madam Pompfrey monitored everyone while they downed their potion and were knocked out. An hour later, most of them had the biggest smiles on their faces. Alastor Moody then instructed all the members about the basics of the Charm. All those present in the class were instructed to think of their happiest memory, become one with it, and try to push out the emotion while they cast the Patronus Charm. Almost 90% of those gathered there, who had never successfully cast a Patronus, could cast a thick mist on their first try. Ron was able to cast a corporeal lion Patronus. Ginny's Patronus was much more defined and looked like a white Bengal tiger. When Dumbledore cast his Patronus charm, people could actually hear and feel the gold-colored Phoenix Patronus flying. Albus was able to pet the now solid Patronus. Everyone gaped at Albus in awe.

Moody congratulated everyone and asked them to try again, if necessary with a different happy memory. By the end of the hour, all the Order members were able to cast a corporeal Patronus. Every one promised to practice the spell and took a chocolate bar that Hestia Jones distributed. Professor Flitwick collected a few extra vials of the potion promising to teach the other professors at Hogwarts, while Mrs. Weasley collected them for Percy and Charlie. She was sure that the twins already knew how to cast a Patronus.

The next day, a different kind of meeting took place at Godric's Hollow in the evening. Harry Potter and his four wives played the hosts for the celebratory party in honor of Amelia Bones being elected as the next Minister of Magic. There were many invitees that included ministry employees such as Alastor Moody, Kingsley Shacklebolt and Tonks from the DMLE, Percy Weasley and Algeron Croaker from the Department of Mysteries, Mrs. Longbottom and Mrs. Marchbanks from the Wizengamot.

The other invitees included Dobby, Winky, Mrs. Tonks, the Grangers, Mr. Lovegood, the Broomstick Twins, Petunia Crouch Evans and Remus Lupin. There were many students and Hogwarts graduates such as Neville Longbottom, Tracey Davis, the Patil Twins, the Weasley Twins, Penelope Clearwater, Katie Bell, Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet, Lee Jordan and Oliver Wood. The final contingent that arrived were from Gringotts, Ragnok, Griphook, and Fleur Delacour.

Harry had met Moody, Shacklebolt, Remus, Mrs. Marchbanks, Mrs. Tonks, Neville, and Tracey in the foyer with a charmed hood that masked his face. He got everyone to sign the secrecy oaths and offered them jewelry charmed to act as an emergency portkey and to protect against Legilimency attacks.

Those who did not know the secret were surprised to see the others in the room. Harry called for a toast in honor of Amelia Bones, the Minister of Magic. Amelia glared at Harry and said, "It is all your fault, Harry. I was happy being the Director of DMLE." Alastor and Kingsley's jaw dropped. Seeing the look of confusion on many faces, Harry deferred to Susan and Hermione to tell the story of the reluctant Messiah, Harry Potter. Kingsley had a triumphant expression on his face, "I knew that there was someone behind all those who quit the Order," while Alastor just chuckled and asked, "Tell me lad, how do you expect me to keep this a secret from Albus?"

"Professor, your boss, the Ministry of Magic is going to order today's events as an Auror secret. Don't Auror secrecy oaths supersede that of the Order?" Harry smiled while Alastor chuckled louder.

"First, let me congratulate you on the excellent security in Magic Alley. I was very impressed with it." Alastor complimented Harry. "I used your motto, CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" Harry bellowed just like Moody and many people around them jumped. Moody chuckled further.

Harry walked away from the Aurors and Neville stopped him. "Harry meet my uncle Algeron Croaker! Uncle Algie, this is Harry Potter."

"Mr. Coaker, pleasure to meet you, Sir. Our meeting is long overdue." Harry greeted the visitor. "Wait a minute! This is you '_Uncle Algie_' as in THE Uncle who dropped you on your head from the second floor?" Harry enquired looking at Neville. Mr. Croaker chuckled and said, "Aye, Lad! I apologized profusely to my sister." He said looking at Mrs. Longbottom who was talking to Mrs. Tonks. "Let me give you a piece of advice. Don't ever get her mad at you." Harry laughed and mumbled, "Been there, done that!" Mr. Croaker must have had very sensitive hearing, "And you survived? Now you earn the title 'Boy-Who-Lived' in my books." Harry loved this man's sense of humor. He also loved the fact that Mr. Croaker discarded his traditional hyphenated title so easily. Harry promised Mr. Croaker, the head of the Unspeakables, to meet before he left for Hogwarts to start his sixth year.

The next person Harry greeted was Mrs. Tonks. "Mrs. Tonks, I have something that you will love. In return, I need a favor." Harry handed her a small bottle with a clear liquid. "A Hundred milliliters of fresh Phoenix tears," Harry leaned forward and whispered in her ears. Mrs. Tonks was so shocked that she almost dropped the bottle. "Harry, do you know how expensive this is?" Her hands were trembling. Harry could not help but laugh hysterically. "Funny how the Phoenix that gave it to me equated it to a by-product of its body, just like its urine!" Mrs. Tonks and Mrs. Marchbanks who overheard that comment gaped at him like he had lost his marbles. Harry bent forward in between the two witches and whispered, "If you don't believe me, wait till you see my second bargaining chip, a box with 1 kg of Phoenix shells."

"What do you want?" Mrs. Tonks asked hesitantly. She wondered what Harry Potter would want for such precious gifts. Harry smiled and said, "I need one dose of the malnourishment potion that your daughter gifted to me on my birthday for every werewolf who is a member of W.O.L.F. I know that the potion uses the Elixir of Life. So I would appreciate it if you could convince the Flamels to give you enough for all the doses. Also a dose for every student at Hogwarts this year including the incoming students and one dose for every incoming student in the subsequent years."

"And I thought you were going to ask for my soul!" joked Mrs. Tonks. "I will talk to Parenelle and get back to you. You don't know it, but she has a big soft corner for you because you are so selfless. I am sure she will agree."

"Brilliant! If she is in a good mood, maybe we can get a dose for all current and future Aurors and Hit Wizards too. They are willing to put their lives on the line for our sake, so it is the least we can do." Harry grinned as he handed the shrunken box to Mrs. Marchbanks. "That was very Slytherin of you Harry. May I call you that?" Harry nodded. "Where did you learn the art of negotiation from?" Harry smiled and said, "From the best of course, the Goblins!" Harry never saw their jaws hit the floor as he walked away.

"Hello Auntie! I see you have met my secondary Godfather," Harry smiled happily as he hugged his aunt, Petunia Evans. "I have missed you, Harry!" She replied. Both Harry and Petunia had agreed to let bygones be bygones. She had gotten over the Drusley saga by putting her heart and soul into 'Parents of Muggleborn Students'. She had moved in temporarily with the Grangers at their Holiday home in France. The Elves had been helping them commute to various meetings.

Harry looked at the last remaining Marauder and smiled sheepishly. Remus glared at him as Harry fidgeted, "You set me up with W.O.L.F., Harry!" Petunia laughed and smacked Remus on his elbow and said, "Moony, you better not give my nephew a hard time. I remember all the stories Lily told me about the Marauders. Can't you see that Harry is pulling the world's biggest prank?" Moony laughed and ruffled Harry's hair, "Sorry cub! I am so glad to FINALLY know who my boss is!" Harry groaned and they both laughed at his obvious discomfort. Harry could not help but notice the spark between his aunt and the old werewolf. '_Auntie, wait till Moony gets his malnourishment potion!_'

Harry spent the rest of the allotted hour for 'Meet & Greet' talking to all the invitees. He was cornered by Tracey Davis who tried to give him the "You hurt her, you are going to answer to me!" talk. She had hoped to intimidate Harry, but Harry pulled on his serious face and gave her the "You hurt him, you are going to answer to me!" talk instead. They both could not keep up the charade and laughed together. She hugged Harry tightly and said, "I am so happy for her. You are good for Daphne." To which Harry replied, "The feeling is mutual Tracey. You are good for Neville too."

Fleur pulled him aside and gave him a letter from the Veela Queen. Harry cast a privacy ward and read the letter. He was happy to see that the Veela Queen was bustling with excitement while she profusely thanked Harry for teaching how to control the Veela allure. She told him that every Veela who learnt this technique was indebted to him and asked him what he wanted in return. It seemed that the Veela and particularly the Queen hated being in debt to someone.

"Fleur, can I take a rain check on the debt?" Fleur reluctantly nodded. "I have a more exciting offer for you though. My brilliant friend, Daphne Greengrass, has created the following products, thanks to the Arithmantic formulae you gave me." Harry gave Fleur a very chic box with three products in it: A beauty cream, a perfume and a face wash. "If the Veela Nation agrees, we can go into business together and sell these products in the muggle world. These products have the Veela Allure potion in it at its mildest concentration."

"In fact, it could also create a whole new employment opportunity to the Veela. They could go into modeling, movies and show-biz. Since the Veela can now control their gift fully, they will never be taken advantage of. To the world, you will all be pretty women and nobody will know the difference. If you agree, I have contacts in the muggle world and I can set up a modeling agency along with a cosmetics company. The partnership would be 10% to the Goblins, 10% to me, 10% to Daphne Greengrass and the rest 70% to the Veela Nation. What do you say?"

Fleur looked shocked and asked, "You managed to create a potion based on an Arithmantic formula?"

Harry smiled and shook his head. "I did not. Daphne did. Maybe I should put my business idea onto paper and make it more formal so that you can present it to you Queen." Fleur nodded and started to move away.

"Oi Fleur, what other magical creatures do Veela interact with?" Harry enquired as an after thought.

"Veela are closest to Vampires. Both are sexual creatures and Vampires are not affected by the Veela charm and Veela are not affected Vampire mind tricks. There can be no children born out of such pairing, primarily because the Vampire are dead. Only those Veela who had some control over their charm, could marry muggles and wizards to have children. Veela can't stand most other species. Why do you ask?" Fleur enquired.

"Do you think you could get me in touch with a friendly Vampire?" Harry asked hesitantly.

Fleur laughed and said, "Harry, most Vampires are friendly. They are not the blood sucking creatures everyone fears. They hardly ever turn a human into a Vampire, with the frequency it is written about in books. Of course I can get you in touch with them. When do you want to meet one of them?"

"How about in a couple of days? I will request one of my house-Elves to give you a portkey tonight. You may send it with your request." Fleur nodded. Harry grinned and thanked her.

After the designated hour, Harry took a crystal glass and tapped it with his spoon to gain everyone's attention. "I think we all know who everyone else here is. For today's '_Entertainment_', we have Luna Lovegood, Hermione Granger and Wanda 'Winky' Potter. Ladies, will you please take over now?"

Hermione walked over to the front of the room. "Ladies and Gentlemen, if you could all please follow me downstairs to the Situation room?" Everyone walked down the stairs to a room that had seating in a semi-circular gallery arrangements. Everyone took their seats. Each seat had a display screen which was similar to those found on a first class muggle airplane seat. In the bottom of the room, there was a large map of the world on a huge table and on the adjacent wall, there were three columns showing three different maps.

Hermione, Luna and Winky walked up to the large table in the bottom of the room and addressed the crowds. "Ladies and Gentlemen, could you please press the power button on your display screen of your seat? This button has a Circle with a vertical line extended from its center outwards." There were a lot of Oohs and Aahs in the room as the displays turned on. "On your display, you should find the map of England. Are you all familiar with it?" There were many nods around the room.

"Alright. Now I want you to use your index finger and move it across the screen." There were many Oohs and Aahs this time. "Yes, the map moves in the direction of your finger. Now, I want you to use your thumb and index finger, place then together on the map and move the fingers away from each other. This should help you zoom into the map." There were a lot of compliments in the room. "Now, do the reverse, keep the thumb and index finger separated and place it on the display screen and move them closer. This should zoom out of the map." There were many who clapped their hands and shouted, "Bravo" or something similar.

"Well, we are not here to play with just maps and display screens! Luna and Winky, if you could turn it on please?" Luna and Winky walked over to a central console near the main table and pressed their fingers the runes in the central console. Suddenly a single red dot and an information flag appeared on the screen. Almost everyone screamed when they read the name, Tom Marvolo Riddle a.k.a. Lord Voldemort. "Yes, we know exactly where the bastard is in real time."

Multiple "Bloody Hells" were heard in the room. Everybody was just speechless. For over a minute, nobody spoke and Hermione started fidgeting.

Harry stood up and addressed the room, "Yes, we can track him. Does that mean, we kill him tomorrow? No! I 'killed' him 15 years ago and he came back. We know that there is a secret to his not dying. We are working on finding it. Moreover, if we kill the head, the body does not crumble. The death eaters will still be there, and a new Dark Lord will come up. We need to cure our society. That is what I plan to do before finishing off Riddle."

Everyone looked at him in awe which made Harry very uncomfortable. It was a similar gaze anyone would give when they meet the Boy-Who-Lived. "Please do not look at me like that. I am just Harry. I hate attention and I hate fame. I am sure you would all do if you were in my shoes and had the resources I have at my disposal." Everyone felt chastised by his outburst. They felt ashamed and averted their gaze to their feet.

Hermione continued, "In time, we will add all the death eaters to the map and we will know exactly where they are. Don't ask us how we are tracking them, that is confidential. We need the names of suspected death eaters from the DMLE so that we can add them to the map. Sometimes it may take a little longer to add a name because of the process involved. However, we can use this map to give the Aurors warning about attacks. We will watch for patterns made by death eaters, i.e. if a bunch of them apparate to a house in the middle of the night, Aurors will be informed immediately. So we need a mechanism for us to send the Aurors alerts. Mr. Moody and Mr. Shacklebolt, could you please meet with us before you leave from here?" The addressed persons nodded their head. "Thank you for a lovely evening! We hope everyone stays safe. Don't forget to keep your portkeys on person."

Amelia, Croaker, Moody and Shacklebolt walked down to Harry and congratulated him, his witches, his Elves and the Goblins. Harry asked them to stay back for another 'surprise'.

Pretty soon, everyone left the building using the portkey they had used to come there. Harry asked Augusta and Neville to stay behind so that he could discuss a few things. Tracey Davis and Patil twins stayed behind too, as the former wanted to spend a few days with Daphne, where as the latter two just wanted to hang out with Harry and his witches.

Harry handed Mrs. Longbottom an interview transcript of what he would want to appear in the High Inquisitor the next day. Mrs. Longbottom looked at it and laughed. She thanked him for making her job easier by having it written out. Before she could leave, Harry asked a question that he had been pondering over since he heard about the Happy Juice.

"Augusta, have you thought about giving the Joy Juice to Neville's parents?"

"No Harry! I think St. Mungos will be safe from Dementors. There are many wards around it." Augusta replied.

"No, that is not what I meant. Hear me out as I put my thoughts into words." Mrs. Longbottom nodded.

"This is what I learnt about Brain and Mind. Our brain is the physical living tissue that consists of millions of cells called the neurons. Memories and thoughts are stored as chemicals and are retrieved due to the process of brain cells interacting with each other. Our Mind however, is a virtual representation of our brain within ourselves. Our mind accesses the physical layer to retrieve information and memories and create a complex interaction needed to live our lives. Are you with me so far?" Harry asked. His audience had grown to his wives, the Patil twins, Tracey Davis and Neville and they all nodded.

"Now, here is where I am guessing things. I might be wrong, but please hear me out." Augusta nodded to let him continue.

"When a person is held under the Cruciatus curse for a long time, the mind shatters and the person appears insane. I understand you have been doing your research to find a cure based on various effects of the curse on nerve endings, but what if the shattered mind just needs a push to heal itself? If pain and suffering could shatter a mind, why can't happy thoughts mend it? It is just a suggestion from me that you should consider giving Neville's parents the Joy Juice. One does not suffer from thinking happy things, so it may not cause any harm."

Harry was surprised when the usually stoic lady engulfed him in a hug and kissed his forehead. Neville and Mr. Croaker who had never seen Mrs. Longbottom behave this way and gaped at her. It still hadn't sunk into Neville's mind that Harry's suggestions might improve his parents' condition. Harry smiled as he watched Tracey slip her hand into Neville's. He suddenly realized what was happening and pulled Tracey, his grandmother and Harry into a four-way hug. "Thank you, Harry. I hope it works. But what you say, makes sense. Grandma! Let us give them a dose tonight and see how they do tomorrow morning."

Winky lead Harry, Amelia, Moody, Shacklebolt and Croaker to an adjacent room that had a similar seating arrangement as the situation room, but without the displays on the comfortable chairs. Mad-eye noticed that there were speakers around the room. In the center of the room was a large 20 feet X 10 feet screen.

Harry then explained to Moody, Croaker and Shacklebolt about the ritual he had undergone. He explained that the killing curse had left behind a part of Voldemort's soul in Harry's scar and thus Voldemort was able to send false visions to Harry that lead to the fiasco at the Ministry of Magic. He voiced that Dumbledore knew all along about this soul fragment and had decided to sacrifice Harry Potter before killing Voldemort.

Amelia agreed that nothing else would explain the lack of training of Harry for all these years when Albus had heard the prophecy in full almost 17 years back. She was thankful that Harry was resourceful to find about the ritual to remove the soul-fragment. She then explained that Harry was soul bonded to four witches, a goblin and an Elf. Dobby demorphed himself into an Elf. Mr. Croaker looked at Harry and Dobby as experimental animals to be studied in a lab. A glare from Amelia made him reconsider what he wanted to suggest. Moody and Shacklebolt were furious with Albus.

"I want your help in fighting this war. I am but a single student and I wont risk the lives of my friends. I believe that any war should involve the ministry Aurors as the primary force to lend credibility to the government. Unfortunately, it is not always easy to trust everyone. What do you say about creating a fourth front in this war, one that is neither Dark nor Light. I don't want to hand over everything to the Ministry, but I am willing to bring the Ministry as a front runner. I suggest that us five and Mrs. Longbottom be the primary members in this coalition. I don't trust Dumbledore to spin this into his own schemes if we invite him over."

The others in the room had a pensive expression on their face while they thought about this idea. Harry reassured them that he would probably not be involved in active combat until his majority but would primarily be responsible for ruining the Death Eater war machine and its finances. Once such a guarantee was given, the others immediately agreed to it.

Harry cleared his throat to get their attention. "I have something else to show you. Very few people know about this and I would like it to be kept that way. I want you all to swear a wizard's oath to never talk about it."

After receiving their oaths, Harry signaled to Winky. "What you may see may be a little disturbing. Please bear with me." Winky walked to the center of the stage and pressed a rune to display a man being put under the Cruciatus curse. "This is what the Dark Lord is seeing and thinking in real time! He does not know that we can see it though." Harry proclaimed.

"Holy Merlin" "Blood Hell" "Merlin's Flaming Testis" "Sweet Mother of God!" were the exclamations in the room.

Harry laughed at the ones in the room. "This is what I would see every time he was angry or putting someone under the Cruciatus. I have built such a tolerance for pain, that I think I might be able to resist the Cruciatus from weaker wizards."

"What you see is a projection of what is on the other side of the link from the soul fragment that was in my scar. Winky needs to be thanked for capturing the soul fragment before it disappeared. We keep it alive by feeding it some magic every day. I plan to learn Legilimency from a Vampire and try to use it against Riddle through this link. I should be able to unearth interesting information as to what is keeping him alive. This soul fragment is too small for it to anchor him from moving on."

Croaker sucked in his breath. "Lad, I would never have talked to anyone your age about this dark magic. Have you heard of something called a Horcrux?" It was the other adults' turns to suck in their breaths.

"Horcrux is the darkest of dark magic. It involves deliberately splitting your soul into fragments and storing them in an object. There are no known reports of a Horcrux stored in a living person." Mr. Croaker explained.

"This is eerily similar to a children's story I read yesterday in _Great Indian Wizarding Folk Tales_! An evil wizard king puts his soul into a parrot and nobody can kill him even though many try. A prince kills the parrot before killing the evil king." Harry commented.

"They have something as dark as a Horcrux in a children's story?" Amelia wondered while Moody chuckled.

"Eighteen years ago, our department found a huge gold locket with an S shaped serpent on it. We believe that it is the Slytherin Locket and we suspected it to be a Horcrux. Unfortunately, before we could determine whose soul fragment it was, the locket was stolen." Mr. Croaker confessed. "From the report I read after your Chamber of Secrets incident, we suspect that Riddle's Diary was also a Horcrux. How did you destroy it?" He enquired.

"I poked the diary with a Basilisk fang, from the one that I had killed." Harry replied. "So does that mean that my scar was a Horcrux too? Do you think Dumbledore knew it? Is that why he did not train me?"

Mr. Croaker sighed and said, "Yes, even though the amount of soul in your scar was minimal, it is still technically a Horcrux. Had he deliberately tried to create one, you would have had a much bigger chunk of his soul in you. The Diary and probably the Slytherin's locket are too. That means that Riddle had made more than one Horcrux. But according to all literature we know, it is theoretically not possible to split a soul into more than one piece."

"Master, if Winky may speak?" Winky asked Harry. Harry seeing a formal requests acquiesced to her request. "Master, Winky knows a house-Elf that saw the Evil Wizard. House-Elf says Evil Wizard has less than a seventh of a full soul."

"Only you, Harry! You are so resourceful. Thank you Winky." Mr. Croaker looked excited. "Seven is a good number Arithmantically. Riddle made 6 Horcruxes to anchor him."

An epiphany hit Harry. "_'The Dark Lord Shall Mark Him As An Equal!'_ He created 6 Horcruxes to anchor him, and I have 6 soul-bonds. What an irony!" Harry exclaimed.

Amelia knew Harry well enough to see where this was going and wanted to nip it in the bud. "Harry, Riddle used hate to create each Horcrux, where as you used love to create each soul-bond. You are no way like that monster. A deliberate act of murder is required to split your soul. Did you do it?"

Harry shook his head and got out of the funk immediately. He chuckled and said, "When I asked Dumbledore what the _'Power The Dark Lord Knows Not'_ was, he said it was 'Love'. Merlin, for once, he might be right." The rest of them chuckled. "Do I have your permission to learn Legilimency and try to use it to find out what the Horcruxes are? I promise I won't try it till I have excelled in the skills. My Occlumency is 100% perfect. Vampires, Veela, Dementors or even Boggarts cannot crash my shields." Harry grinned while the others gaped at him. Harry shrugged and said, "What can I say? I am a resourceful guy" and chuckled.

"I like your plan, Harry. Do you know which Vampire is going to teach you?" Amelia asked.

Harry had a wicked grin on his face before he replied, "The Veela Queen owes me big time and Vampires are big chums of the Veela. So whoever she recommends, will be trustworthy. I will let you know in a week's time. I am not Dumbledore who keeps all the cards close to his chest. I am willing to trust people until they betray me. And to ensure that they don't betray me, I expect oaths from those I trust. You four know most of my secrets now. I want you to be my advisors. But please, DO NOT treat me like a kid. That is Albus Dumbledore's primary mistake and I will not tolerate anyone else doing it to me again. Do NOT hide anything from me."

The five of them discussed their plan a little longer. Harry agreed to secretly fund a few projects at the Department of Mysteries. He also promised that he would fund the Ministry, DMLE and Hogwarts. After saying goodbye, they took the portkeys back to their respective destinations.

The next day, the whole magical world was in a state of shock after reading the headlines of the High Inquisitor. Albus read the newspaper and collapsed in his chair. "What have you done, Harry?" Similar sentiments were echoed by all the members of the Order of the Phoenix throughout the United Kingdom.

**HARRY POTTER REFUSES TO BE 'THE-CHOSEN-ONE'**

_Our reporter tracked Harry Potter for the second interview he has ever been known to give. 'What do you say about Ex-Minister Fudge's comments about you being the Chosen One?'_

_"Chosen One? To do what? To save this bigoted and fickle magical world? I refuse to accept to be the Chosen One." Our reporter was shocked beyond words. 'But everyone expects the Boy-Who-Lived to vanquish the Dark Lord...'_ our reporter asked.

_Harry Potter snorted and said, "That is exactly what the problem is. First, I am not the hero (Boy-Who-Lived), it is my mom who 'killed' the Dark Lord (Read more below). Second, the magical world is full of selfish and lazy people who do not believe in contributing towards fighting against the Dark. So why should not I follow their example and withdraw from the war. They are content to let a 16 year old untrained wizard bear the responsibility. Well, I don't want to bear the responsibility. Who knows? Some Auror or even Professor Dumbledore may get lucky and kill Riddle. After all, I am supposed to be an insane, arrogant, attention-seeking-brat according to your very own dear ex-Minster and his cronies. "_

_"Every year, I have had numerous attempts on my life. Ever since I reentered the magical world, public opinion has swayed too quickly for my liking. First year, I am a hero for something I have not done and every one gawks at me. Second year, I am a Dark Lord as I have the gift of speaking the serpent-tongue. The third year, I am a 'poor dear' who needs to be kept in the dark because big, bad Godfather of mine, Sirius Black, was coming to kill me, when actually he was innocent and had to break out of Azkaban to save me from the real traitor, Peter Pettigrew. Dear Minister refused to believe my tale even though I offered to take Veritaserum to testify. The fourth year, I am a liar and an attention seeking brat who cheated to get into the Triwizard tournament. The fifth year, I was a deranged lunatic suffering from delusions of the return of the Dark Lord and tortured with a blood quill during my detentions."_

_"Throughout my time in the magical world, I was manipulated, and kept in the dark for either my own good or for the 'greater good'. I was not informed of my heritage and I did not even know my parents occupation till a few days back. My parents will was sealed and I was not allowed to attend my Godfather's will reading. I was sent back to my abusive relatives for my summer dose of abuse by the same person who then 'rescued' me from my dreaded relatives. I had to go back to the same place where I grew up in a 'cupboard under the stairs' every year for my own safety and for the 'greater good'."_

_"With the way the magical society has behaved, changing its opinion of me as soon as a new news report from Rita Skeeter was published, everyone believing that someone will fix their problems, the politicians doing things only for personal gain, the light side hell bent on manipulating me and controlling me, WHY SHOULD I FIGHT FOR YOU? I REFUSE TO DO SO!"_

_"And who says I am the Chosen One? I may have fit some criteria, but there are definitely others who also fit the criteria in the prophecy. I have already proven that I am not the Boy-Who-Lived (Read Below). So keep looking to find your Chosen-One who will fight for you."_

_**"Lord Voldemort, do you think you will get eternal glory by killing an under-trained, under-aged 16-year-old boy? If you really wish eternal glory, at least wait for me to be fully-trained OR at least until I am no longer under-aged."**_

**HARRY POTTER KILLS 'THE-BOY-WHO-LIVED'**

_Harry Potter also known to his friends as The-Boy-Who-Hates-Hyphenated-Names in a rare interview told our reporter the story of what happened on that Halloween night 15 years ago._

_"The Dark Lord apparated to our house and blasted our door in to gain entrance. My father dueled him and was killed with the killing curse. He reached my room and found my mother next to my crib. He gave her a choice to serve him and live if she handed me over to him. My mother obviously chose differently and gave her life to protect me. When the Dark Lord tried the Killing Curse on me, it reflected back to him destroying his body. But the Dark Lord had undergone many dark rituals and hence his spirit stayed on."_

_Our reporter asked, 'But how did you survive? The Killing Curse is unstoppable.'. Our reporter was surprised when Mr. Potter snorted and said, "There are three ways to survive the Killing Curse. 1) Get out of its way, don't let it hit you. 2) Conjure or move either something living or something solid in its path. A simple Avis will conjure a bird that will block the curse. Or move or conjure a marble boulder in its path and the curse is blocked. OR 3) Do what Lily Potter did."_

_"My mother was a genius! Did you know that she worked as a spell researcher in that unnamed department in the Ministry? I have read her notes and while studying the killing curse extensively, she came up with a possible reflecting shield against it. The only problem was that the shield needed too much energy that could only be given through sacrifice and hence not useful for herself. She sacrificed her life to erect this shield on me that reflected the Killing Curse."_

_"If she was the one who was responsible for the Dark Lord's disincorporation, why am I famous? She should be the one who should be given the full credit."_

"_But the 'powers that be' in the Wizarding world did not want to accept a muggleborn genius lady besting the fiercest Dark Lord ever and hence created the B-W-L persona. All you readers are guilty of accepting aggrandizing stories from selfish politicians such as Fudge, manipulative old men such as Dumbledore, and vile reporters such as Rita Skeeter. The magical world needed a hero, but a dead hero is of no use to anyone; so why not promote her son as the hero with a false story instead?"_

"_The magical world believes the Boy-Who-Lived to be this knight in shining armor who is very powerful, very proficient in magic, and will save the innocent and kill the evil wizards. Well, too bad, the Boy-Who-Lived does not exist. Hence I wish to kill the Boy-Who-Lived permanently."_

"_In reality, what exists is a simple, down to earth, average boy who did not know that he was magical till he received his Hogwarts letter at the age of 11. The boy was brought up by magic-hating muggle relatives who abused him and treated him worse than a house-Elf in the Malfoy family. He slept in the cupboard under the stairs till he got his Hogwarts letter."_

"_When he did reach Hogwarts, nobody explained what to expect, while everyone expected him to know and do everything. Every year he was at Hogwarts, his life was in danger and he had his share to fight a Troll, Basilisk, Acromantula, Dementors, Dragon, Blast-Ended Skrewt, Grindolows, Death Eaters, and the Dark Lord on four different occasions. It was only pure luck that he survived and in some cases, someone else had to lose their life to rescue him." _

"_In reality Harry Potter is a malnourished, average-powered, undertrained, uninformed, lucky boy who managed to survive till date. He is no Boy-Who-Lived."_

"_I, Harry James Potter, hereby forsake the title and privileges of the mythical 'Boy-Who-Lived' or any other hyphenated name he is known by."_

**HARRY POTTER ASKS THE DARK LORD FOR HIS AGENDA**

_Dear Dark Lord,_

_Greetings! My first introduction to blood politics was at a tender age of eleven when a Death Eater spawn told me that Purebloods were the elite in our society. The half bloods were only fit to serve the Purebloods as servants and the muggleborn (actually he used that derogatory equivalent) were only good enough to fall on their knees and polish the Purebloods' shoes. Muggles were good enough only to be killed for sport._

_No wonder I did not agree with him! There are 100,000 magical people in the United Kingdom. There are less than 2,000 purebloods, 74,000 halfboods and the rest 24,000 are muggleborns. But then, I believe that the actual number of muggleborns is actually a lot more because not many accept to go to Hogwarts to get their education. In the last category are the most surprising numbers. There are 58 million muggles in the United Kingdom and 5.5 Billion muggles in the world. How can 2,000 purebloods lord over so many muggles, let alone the half-bloods and muggleborns?_

_When the death eater spawn told me that half-bloods are to be servants of the Purebloods, I had a déjà vu of my life before Hogwarts. I have been treated as a servant my whole life by my relatives (and I believe you have had similar experiences from muggles), so I did not relish the idea that I would be a servant of another group._

_I am currently disillusioned by the Ministry (Fudge's regime) and most shockingly by the Light side too, for Light side forced me to grow up in an abusive environment and believed in keeping me in the dark which lead to some disastrous events such as losing my godfather and your resurrection._

_I am curious as to what the Death Eater Philosophy is? Why do people follow you? You once told me, "There is no good or evil, only power. There are only those who seek power and those who are too scared to seek it." What is this power that you promise your followers? Do you promise to create the perfect world for them? I know your 'means', but I want to know what you 'end' looks like. _

_I hope to hear your views on this.  
Happy Torturing (I pity your minions who you routine put under the Cruciatus curse),  
Harry James Potter_

**HARRY POTTER TO FILL MINISTRY AND HOGWARTS COFFERS**

_When Harry Potter heard about financial situation of our Ministry and Hogwarts, he promised to fund 100,000 Galleons to improve educational standards at Hogwarts, 100,000 to outfit protective gear and equipment for the Aurors and 100,000 Galleons to improve public's role in Wizarding governance. Mr. Potter said that these funds would be given every year for the next 10 years, provided the parties concerned show proof of accountability by publishing a budget-expenditure report in the leading newspapers. _

_Three million Galleons for 10 years, Mr. Potter? Your parents must be rich for you give away that much money! Our reporter commented._

_"Are you kidding? I have only 32,000 Galleons from what my parents left me and my Godfather left me 12,000 Galleons after distributing more than 2 million Galleons of the Black fortune. You may ask how I can promise so much money?" Mr. Potter sighed as though he was reluctant to answer that question, but he did anyway. _

_"I killed an 81-feet long Basilisk in the fabled Chamber of Secrets during my second year. This was the time when all those muggleborn students were petrified by the indirect stare of the Basilisk. I killed it by foolishly pushing a sword up the roof of the snake's palate and puncturing its brain. Thinking back, I agree that it was a reckless thing to do. According to the ministry laws, I own the carcass of the basilisk by right of conquest. I contacted the Goblins who appraised it and I have asked them to invest the proceeds from its sale to earn interest. I guess the money I am donating comes from the interest from that fund."_

_"I don't like fame, attention or being rich. I am happy with my meager existence. Who knows, I might not even live for a long time, thanks to the Dark Lord who is gunning for my blood."_

**HARRY POTTER TO SPONSOR JOY JUICE FOR ALL**

_When our reporter informed Harry Potter about the success of the 'Joy Juice', he was very elated. He told our reporter that he had taught the Patronus charm to a group of students last year and he was very happy when seven of his students could cast a corporeal Patronus. And they had spent only five one-hour sessions on it. _

_"Do you realize that there are more students who can cast a corporeal Patronus than the faculty! And is half the total number of Aurors who can cast the charm? So much for a difficult charm to master! How long did you teach them?" Mr. Potter laughed and replied, "Five hours"._

_Our reporters are happy to report that hundred percent of our Aurors are now able to cast a corporeal Patronus. The excited Minister also reported that Albus Dumbledore had conducted a similar study and had found that hundred percent of the 35 witches and wizards tested could cast a corporeal Patronus after a single dose of the potion._

_Mr. Potter when he heard of how good the potion was, immediate wrote a letter to The Famous Weasley Twins, the inventors of the potion. He requested that 1) They distribute the potion free of cost and that Mr. Potter would bear the expenses, 2) They distribute the potion in an auto-refilling vial so that the potion is always available to the needy._

_Our reporter contacted the Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes, the official distributor of the potion. They said that they would be distributing the free auto-refilling vials on a chain or belt starting tomorrow. Their only condition being only one vial per person. They promise to start more distribution centers soon, but the one vial per person rule stands. So if you want to save yourself from the Dementors, get yourself in the line._

**HARRY POTTER FLAVORED POLYJUICE**

_After making all these announcements, Mr. Potter expects trouble from the Headmaster and the Light and wished to take a vacation. He asked our reporter for suggestions to sneak away. When our reporter suggested Polyjuice, Mr. Potter wondered if he could distribute Polyjuice vials with his hair in it to our general population. This would help in false sightings to those would undoubtedly be looking for him and trying to lock him up for speaking his mind. "Mind you, the danger is very real. The Death Eaters and the Dark Lord might capture you or even kill you on the spot. So please be careful where you go and please announce that you are a Polyjuiced person." _

_"Dear Dark Lord and the Death Eaters, please don't kill those Polyjuiced fellows when I am trying to get in touch with my Slytherin side. We are just having some fun at the Headmaster's expense. Surely you can appreciate that!" Mr. Potter requests._

_The vials of Harry Potter Flavored Polyjuice will be given to lucky winners in the Joy Juice queues at various distribution centers._

**AMELIA BONES ABSOLVES SIRIUS BLACK OF ALL CRIMES**

_Minister of Magic, Amelia Bones, reviewed the evidence presented to her and has absolved Sirius Black of all his crimes. She declared that Peter Pettigrew was alive and was the betrayer of the Potters and murderer of the 12 muggles when Sirius Black confronted him. _

_"The Potters went into hiding to protect young Harry by using the Fidelius Charm, a very powerful charm that erases the location of a place from every person's mind in the world except that of the person designated as the secret keeper. Sirius Black convinced the Potters to make their other friend Peter Pettigrew the secret keeper while telling the world that Sirius was the secret keeper. This decoy plan would have worked perfectly but unfortunately for the Potters, Peter Pettigrew was a closet death eater and he took the secret straight to the Dark Lord." _

_The Ministry apologizes to Mr. Black for wrongful imprisonment. Mr. Black's portrait refused any monitory remuneration, but has requested the Ministry to enact stricter laws to ensure that all accused were innocent until proven guilty. Charges will be filed against Cornelius Fudge for brushing aside all the evidence shown to him and continuing to persecute an innocent man._

_Amelia Bones has made a bold decision to display pensive memories of evidence she based her judgment on in the Ministry's Atrium._

**MINISTER TO REBUILD AZKABAN**

_The Minister of Magic, Amelia Bones declared today that she has signed a contract for the demolition of Azkaban and rebuilding of a newer, humane prison that was more in tune with prisoner-rights of the current times. She promised to never use Dementors as guards and that the prisoners would be treated humanely. _

_The Minister reported that there have been many irregularities with the way the prisoners have been treated. All prisoners were chronically starved, insane to varying degrees and ill-treated. There have been instances of misbehavior by the prison staff which has been hushed up by the previous Minister. There have even been at least four break-outs that have not been published in the newspaper._

_Prison time is for criminals to introspect on their crimes, feel remorse and undergo re-education before they reintegrate into the society. Torturing them would only make the criminals more hardened. I have been to Azkaban and believe me, that place is the hell on earth. It has not been cleaned in over 500 years and the inpatients are hardly fed more than a morsel per day. The Minister assures that the new prison system will be very secure and humane one._

**AUROR TRAINING ADMISSION GUIDELINES CHANGED**

_The DMLE conducted a survey among the last five graduating classes from Hogwarts and found that most of them did not consider becoming Aurors because of their Potions grade. Auror training requires the candidates to have taken at least NEWT Level Potions. While it may be considered that requiring at least an Acceptable on the NEWT Potion Examination is not too stringent, we found that most of these graduates who rejected Auror as a career choice were not allowed to take NEWT Potions at Hogwarts. The reason being that only those students who got an 'O' in Potions OWL were allowed to take the NEWT Level classes._

_The Minister has written a letter to the Hogwarts Board requesting them to implement guidelines for entry into NEWT level courses. Amelia Bones is of the opinion that, "If you have received an OWL, you should be allowed to take the NEWT in that subject." That means for the last 15 years since Severus Snape taught Potions at Hogwarts, all those students who had an Acceptable and an Exceeds Expectation grade could have taken NEWT level potions and become an Auror. What a shame!_

_"It is going to take me several years to undo all the nonsense that has been done by bungling idiots for many decades now. Please do not expect instant results tomorrow. For now, I have requested the Director of DMLE to waive the NEWT Potions Auror Training requirement in lieu of an additional Potions class."_

Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, Alastor Moody and Hagrid apparated to Privet Drive to have a chat with Harry Potter. Mundungus Fletcher was on duty and they found him in an alcohol induced stupor. Albus walked up to the door and rang the bell. He knew that they could not use magic to enter the house without Harry Potter's permission, thanks to his new blood wards. As soon as his finger touched the calling bell switch, something shimmered on the door. It appeared as though a disillusion charm was cancelled as soon as he touched the bell. Albus pulled the paper and read.

_Gone for a Vacation, Headmaster! See you on September 1__st__._

"Alright everybody! Let us gather around." Harry clapped his hand to get the attention of everyone assembled in the conference room of the 'fourth estate'. Almost immediately the noise in the room dropped to a minimum and everyone found a seat. Sitting on either side of Harry were his wives. The others in the room consisted of Griphook, Mrs. Longbottom, Mrs. Tonks, Fleur Delacour, Nymphadora Tonks, Charlie Weasley, the Weasley twins, the Patil Twins, Neville Longbottom, Tracey Davis, Oliver Wood, Katie Bell, Remus Lupin and Dobby.

"We are here to make sure that we have made all the arrangements for the Opening day of Magic Alley. We specifically want to concentrate on the shopping experiences of students. So where do we start?" Harry inquired.

"Why not we take a typical student's school list and see if we have everything set up in the Magic Alley?" Hermione suggested.

"Sounds like a good idea, Hermione." Harry picked up a first year student list that they had compiled. "We start with... Wand? Is that the first thing the student is going to do?"

Susan replied, "Yes, it actually makes sense to go there first. Ollivander has disappeared from Diagon Alley and we were not able to contact him. The students will go to Dexter's Wands to get their wands. Dexter has a device that displays the core and the wood that are most compatible with the student's magical core, thus reducing the need to try a zillion wands like we all did at Ollivanders. We want the students to go to the wand shop first so that Dexter has the time to craft a new wand in case the right combination is not already available."

"Makes sense. What is next... A health check-up? That is a brilliant idea." Harry agreed.

"We thought so too!" Daphne said with a smile. "After pulling a few strings, we have contracted with 10 Healers from St. Mungos to moonlight for us during the next three weeks. They will check every student for abuse, magic core bindings, and other muggle and magical illnesses. This is where we will give each child the Nourishment potion and we have already received the first batch for tomorrow. Any child who needs corrective glasses will be given self-adjusting magical contacts free of cost. If the child has had fractures healed by muggles earlier, those will be reset or bone strengthening potions given."

"Brilliant! Next is... A Trunk!" Harry looked around expectantly.

Luna spoke up, "Mr. Rothschild from 'Trunks and More' has agreed to all our terms. That means that you are now 51% shareholder in his company and one of our Elves has to work on the trunks. Every trunk he sells will, at a minimum, have basic security charms and have runes to control a feather-light charm, shrinking and expanding charms and a muggle-luggage morphing charm. These basic trunks cost 15 Galleons a piece compared to a normal trunk at Diagon Alley for 10 Galleons."

"The 'LEEF Special' trunks however sell for 75 Galleons each and are the ones we recommend for students. Each trunk has two compartments; the first one looks like a regular school trunk's compartment for obvious reasons. The second compartment has a furnished apartment that contains a living room, a kitchen, a bedroom, a walk-in closet, a bathroom, a library, a potions lab, a muggle gym and a dueling chamber. The library has some nifty features such as indexing, stacking and retrieval charms. The modern potions lab has four stations with protection wards, anti-displacement and ventilation charms."

"There are no archaic features such as ladders or different locks for each compartment. The student enters the second compartment by touching a rune and saying a password. He gets sucked into the living room. From there, the student can go to any of the other rooms in the apartment. These trunks have all the security and protection charms on them."

"This trunk also has a few 'uber-cool' features. If you put your books in the first compartment and touch a rune while wishing to 'Store' them in Library, the books automatically get transported to the Library and stacked on the cupboards. Touching the rune and thinking of retrieving a book, the book gets transported from the library into the first compartment. This feature also works with the potions equipment, potions ingredients, broomsticks, etc."

"The store also sells bottomless backpacks for 10 Galleons that can be linked to the 'LEEF Special' trunks. The retrieval and storage charms can retrieve a textbook from the trunk in the dorm even if you are in the classroom. So no more forgetting books or scrolls."

"That is amazing! I wish I had such a trunk from the first year onwards. Heck, even a feather light charm could have made all the difference. What do you say Hermione?" Harry winked at the brown haired witch who blushed. She was notorious for carrying a library with her always. "What is next on our agenda? Robes?" Harry enquired.

Parvati face glowed while giving her report, "Most muggleborn students have no idea as to what to wear in the Wizarding world. The school letter does say what to buy, but not any specifics. What about what to wear under the robes or during the weekends? _Rubeena's Robes_ solves most of these issues. My aunt Rubeena and Mrs. Jennifer Brown have hired 10 Veela assistants. I am shocked to confess that they know more about fashion than Lavender and I do." Parvati pouted while the others in the room laughed.

"As soon as the student enters the store, their measurements are recorded. The students sponsored by LEEF are given a choice of either choosing their own wardrobe or letting an assistant pick for them. The wardrobe consists of everything including undergarments, swim suits, cloaks, and two pairs of dress robes along with usual. The robes are of much superior quality than that of Madam Malkin's, thanks to the Acromantula Silk we received at discount prices. All these clothes have auto-resizing charms to accommodate for growth during the school year. Our goal is that nobody should be able to tell the difference between a pureblood and muggleborn just based on their clothes."

"You are right, Parvati. I hate to admit it, muggleborns, especially first years do tend to stand out in the magical world based on their dress sense. At least this will take away one ammunition from bigots such as Malfoy." Harry commented. "Next we move on to potions and books."

Padma spoke up, "Mr. Clearwater runs the apothecary and has agreed to our idea to create potions kits for the students that are similar to the 'Slytherin Specials' available at Diagon Alley. Placing the kit in the LEEF Trunk will automatically fill the ingredients in the trunk's potions lab. Each kit costs about 10-15 Galleons based on the year. Mr. Clearwater also sells potions ingredients via Rune-Mail. Did we mention that the LEEF trunks are able to send and receive Rune-mail?"

"That is amazing. Please make sure that the trunks are warded against Rune-Ports. We don't want Death Eaters Rune-Porting into Hogwarts and creating chaos." Harry warned.

Hermione nodded and continued the report, "The bookstore is called _Flourish and Botts_ and it is owned by the same person who owns the Diagon Alley store." Hermione looked at Harry and winked at him. She laughed as Harry processed the information that he was the owner of both the bookstores and his jaw dropped confirming that he had worked it out. "The store was originally started by Frederick and Benjamin Potter a few centuries ago and they named the store after their nicknames. They created a lot of charms that are used by the printing businesses today."

"Anyway, that was a little detour into the history of the store." Hermione smiled weakly. "We have a huge inventory of the textbooks and books that will be helpful for the students. 'LEEF Special' bundles include textbooks for all years including those for the electives. We have included a few additional books that the students would benefit from. These bundles sell at 125 Galleons and are recommended to the students. We felt that it was a good idea to give them as much reference material as we could. If they are motivated, that might even speed up their learning."

"Hermione, please tell me you have not included 'Hogwarts: A History' in those bundles!" Harry laughed while the bushy haired girl blushed.

"What else is left?" Harry consulted the list once again. "Herbology gloves, brass telescope, etc."

Neville spoke for the first time in the meeting. Gone was the hesitant boy with an inferiority complex, this was a very confident person speaking in the room. "Mr. Thadeus Newton runs the Newton's Nursery. Students may pick up their dragon-hide gloves there for 2 Galleons a pair. Other general purpose gloves are available, but LEEF recommends a good pair of dragon hide gloves."

Harry smiled at them and looked at Dobby for his report. "Harry Potter Sir! Dobby has been busy impersonating Harry Potter when Harry is busy or on vacation." It was Harry's turn to let his jaw drop. Seeing Harry's expression, Dobby recounted that he had been seen studying in Harry's room, gardening at Privet Drive, and as Max Rutherford in Magic Alley when the Aurors visited. Dobby was proud that nobody was able to recognize Dobby in those disguises.

Fleur reported that more than 50 Veela had good jobs at the Alley. The stronger ones worked in Security along with the Werewolves. Others worked as assistants in almost all kinds of businesses, the popular being fashion, entertainment and food.

Remus reported that 238 werewolves in England were now members of W.O.L.F. and were receiving the Wolfsbane potion. Remus explained that no one really knew how many werewolves were currently in the country, but if Remus were to guess, this was about 60% of the total population. He told everyone that availability of the potion and employment are the two retainers of the werewolves in the Foundation. Remus also informed them that they were going to record their first public service message that would be broadcast on the Wizion this month.

Harry told Remus with a wink that a third secret potion would be supplied to the werewolves on the morning after the next full moon. Remus told them that it should not be a problem, because one of the SOCO (Single Overriding Communication Objective), a term borrowed from muggles, of the WOLF campaign was to consume the potion when the necklace changed temperatures, be it hot or cold. Remus also informed every one that portkey method of prevention of transformation was going to be tried this month end on a group of 10 werewolves. Luna piped in that Healer Hestia Jones and Petunia Evans have been very helpful with WOLF. Petunia was WOLF's liaison with the US muggle agency, the CDC.

Harry beamed at his aunt and smiled. His aunt almost blushed at the praise she received from Harry in that silent communication. "How is it going with POMS, Auntie?" Harry enquired.

"It has been great." Petunia grinned. "We have 196 new muggleborn students that LEEF is sponsoring this year, along with the 47 that it had sponsored last year. The new students are going to shop at Magic Alley over the next 5 days. Schedules had been sent out to all the parents and the Elves were transporting them to Magic Alley. Each family would have an Elf guiding them through their first magical shopping experience."

Hermione reported that their special project had been extended to Ministry of Magic, Hogwarts, Magic Alley and Diagon Alley. Very few understood that the special project was the ward that stole blood, but seeing the satisfied expression on the faces of those who understood it, the others did not bother to enquire about it.

"I guess we are done. Congratulations everyone. Great job! Are there any more questions or comments?"

"Harry, are we really going on a vacation tomorrow? Did you not just come back from one?" Tracey asked excitedly. She was very happy that this would be the first vacation that she would go on with Neville. She had not technically lied to her parents when she told them that she was going on a vacation with Daphne and Susan with an Auror as a chaperone and escort.

"Yes, Tracey, the Veela Queen ordered me to leave England and go to a quiet place. We are going to 'Dream World', the island resort that 'A New Company' is building. It is in the Florida Keys and is actually a country on its own. It is naturally under heavy enchantments to hide it from the muggles. While you all would be having fun on the beach and visiting other interesting places nearby, I will have to attend classes the seven days we will be there."

"Do you mind if I invite Blaise Zabini along?" Tracey enquired.

"Are you sure you want to invite another boy along with you on a vacation with your boyfriend?" Harry winked at her.

Tracey laughed at that and blushed. "Neville is not yet my boyfriend and Blaise is my best friend."

"As long as I receive a magical oath not to reveal any of our secrets, I am fine."


End file.
